Hayiya Dance Theatre has expanded and relocated

In August 1997, a young native of Augusta founded Harambee African Tribal Sounds Unlimited, a dance club on the campus of Wesleyan College. Over the years, her passion evolved into Hayiya Dance Theatre Inc., a nonprofit professional dance and percussion ensemble, and Hayiya Dance Theatre, which is the company’s studio and school.

Pilar Wilder is the founder and director of both entities.

This year, the studio has a new home in the Payne City Station shopping center at 3378 Brookdale Ave., Suite I, in Macon. While the movement for the ensemble started almost two decades ago, the studio was set up on Jan. 17, 2001, and will be celebrating its 16th anniversary in less than two weeks.

With hard work and determination, Wilder has become a driving force in Macon’s performing arts arena. She has collaborated with many entities to teach the masses about West African dance and percussion.

Along with Wilder, other instructors at the studio teach all types of dance including ballet, hip-hop, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) danceline, jazz, liturgical, tap and Zumba.

Two other custom categories of dance offered at the studio are PilaRhythm, which is Wilder’s version of contemporary dance, and Enrique Styles, a combination of dance styles created by one of Wilder’s former students.

The Hayiya Dance Theatre Inc. ensemble performs all over the Southeast at churches, festivals, schools, universities and weddings. Two of their well-known annual productions are “Stained Glass,” which showcases the literary work of James Weldon Johnson, and downtown Macon’s “Thriller” dance, which happens around Halloween.

Hayiya’s new studio is larger and includes an area for recitals and outside rentals. The new location is a reflection of growth for Hayiya. There are more dance studio rooms, a larger costume closet and administrative office space. Dance classes are offered for men and women of all ages.

Wilder has taken the concept of “starving artist” and flipped it. She has made many sacrifices to keep the dance movement alive in Macon. Hayiya is the oldest West African Dance ensemble in Middle Georgia.

The mission statement of Hayiya Dance Theatre is to educate, to entertain and to engage the community by providing opportunities for cultural arts enrichment and exposure.

For more information about Hayiya, visit hayiyadancetheatre.com.

This story was originally published January 4, 2017 at 11:06 AM with the headline "Hayiya Dance Theatre has expanded and relocated."