Tianna Pourciau Sykes is a dance educator, choreographer, and performing artist with experience spanning 20 years. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Kennesaw State University. As a dance educator, Tianna specializes in classical ballet and modern dance instruction, with extensive experience in dance curriculum design and development. Throughout her career, she has taught various forms of dance, including ballet, modern dance, jazz dance, tap, hip-hop, and contemporary dance, as well as musical theatre dance. Tianna has taught dance from beginner to professional levels of students at all ages at various institutions and summer intensives throughout the country. She is a professional member of the National Dance Education Organization.

During her five-year tenure as Director of Dance for the Academy for Performing and Visual Arts of the Rockdale County school system in Georgia, Tianna developed both the middle and high school dance programs, and was integral in establishing the first of its kind in the Conyers-Rockdale area. Utilizing her experience and expertise in dance education, she created the program structure and designed the dance curriculum for the county. In addition to teaching and choreographing within the dance department, Tianna also served as Musical Theatre co-teacher and choreographer in the theater department, earning a Shuler Award nomination for her choreographic work in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

As a choreographer, Tianna Pourciau Sykes has created dance works for various venues throughout the southern region of the United States. Her choreographic works have been selected for Drapinski Dance Company’s Catharsis Series, Southern Voices in New Orleans, “SHE Created IT” dance festival and tour, the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival, the Dance Gathering Houston, and Dance Canvas Atlanta. She has also directed and presented numerous public arts events, dance dramas and productions.

Throughout her professional career, Tianna has performed as guest artist with companies such as Atlanta Festival Ballet and Zoetic Dance Ensemble. She has performed for various industrials, concerts and events including House of Blues New Orleans, Essence Festival, and others. She has also participated in various dance workshops, such as Dance Olympus, Dance America, Dance USA and the American College Dance Festival, as well as served as panel guest speaker and adjudicator for events across the country. She has appeared in film and television productions on MTV, and films such as Just My Luck, Last Holiday, and Dracula 2000.

Tianna Pourciau Sykes is an experienced dance professional connecting the arts, education and community. As a working artist and dance educator at The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, she continues to provide her artistic leadership and skillful expertise, and hopes to continue to make an impact through the development, training and mentoring of young artists.