Join PhD Dance Student Sidra Bell and her frequent and close collaborator Grammy nominated jazz composer Immanuel Wilkins as they discuss their interdisciplinary process. Wilkins and Bell were co-presented/commissioned at The Met Museum last year and were co-awarded the Creative Capital Wild Futures grant to create a piece culminating at Gibney where Bell was artist-in-residence. They were also presented together at 92NY, a cultural and community center in New York City. The Wexner Center for the Arts presents Wilkins on January 23, 2026 at 7:00 and 9:00 pm.
The music of saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is filled with empathy and conviction. Listeners were introduced to the riveting sounds of this emerging artist in his critically acclaimed debut album, Omega, which was named the number one jazz album of 2020 by the New York Times. Omega also introduced his remarkable quartet with Columbus native Micah Thomas on piano and Kweku Sumbry on drums. In Blues Blood, on Blue Note Records, Wilkins explores the idea of the legacies of our ancestors and the bloodlines connecting us.
Sidra Bell was commissioned as the first black female choreographer to make works for New York City Ballet in the fall of 2020 (Fall Digital Season) and 2021 (Fall Fashion Gala/Innovators & Icons Program). The work “SUSPENDED ANIMATION”, performed at the David H Koch Theater and The Kennedy Center, was nominated for a Bessie Award. Recent features of her historical work at NYCB include Essence Magazine, NY1, News12, and Amsterdam News. In 2023, she was the choreographer of ARENA in collaboration with acclaimed visual artist Derek Fordjour for his feature solo show at Petzel Gallery (New York Times Critic Pick). She was featured on air for a special segment on the TODAY Show NBC- “How choreographer Sidra Bell is blazing a trail for next generation: Groundbreaking dancer and choreographer Sidra Bell talks about making history at the New York City Ballet and blazing a trail for future generations”. Her career has spanned over 20 years and her choreography has been seen throughout the United States and in Denmark, France, Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Sweden, Germany, China, Canada, Aruba, Korea, Brazil, and Greece. Bell has created over 100 works.