Sonya Tayeh

Sonya Tayeh is an American choreographer, director and movement director who has shaped dance across television, concert stages and Broadway. Born in New York and raised in Detroit, Tayeh drew early formation from the city's club culture, techno and house music communities. She studied dance at Wayne State University, graduating in 2002, and that education—combining academic rigor with the rhythm and improvisation of Detroit's music scene—set a pattern that would define her career: the refusal to work within a single sector of dance.

Tayeh's national prominence began through *So You Think You Can Dance* starting in 2008, where she created routines that earned her two Emmy nominations from the Television Academy. In 2013 she received recognition for "Possibly Maybe," "Turning Page" and "Sail"; in 2015 she was nominated again for "Vow," "So Broken" and "Europe, After the Rain."

While building visibility on television, Tayeh also developed a parallel practice in concert and theatre work. She received commissions from the Martha Graham Dance Company and the Joyce Theater. In 2016 she created *you'll still call me by name* with music by The Bengsons, which she premiered at Jacob's Pillow in 2018. In 2022, the Graham company premiered *Canticle for Innocent Comedians*, a newly conceived work with Tayeh serving as lead choreographer alongside credited collaborators Alleyne Dance, Robert Cohan, Jenn Freeman, Martha Graham, Juliano Nunes, Micaela Taylor and Yin Yue, each creating individual sections.

Tayeh made her Broadway debut in 2019 as choreographer of *Moulin Rouge! The Musical*, directed by Alex Timbers. The work brought her the Tony Award for Best Choreography in the 2020 awards cycle, presented at the 74th Tony Awards ceremony on September 26, 2021, and a Drama Desk Award. That victory marked a turning point in how Broadway institutions recognized her craft.

Since then, Tayeh has expanded the definition of her Broadway role. She served as movement director for the 2023 revival of *The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window* and as movement director and choreographer for the 2024 revival of *Romeo + Juliet*. These credits place her expertise in the expressive organization of bodies across entire productions, not merely the musical numbers.