Paula Sousa

bio

Paula Sousa (she/her) is a Brazilian movement artist based in Chicago. With a foundation in contemporary, improvisational techniques, and ballet, her work explores movement as a vehicle for connection—blending physicality, emotion, and visual storytelling to expand how audiences and performers engage with dance.

As a migrant artist, Paula draws from her cultural background and lived experiences to examine themes of identity, human connection, and the subtle dynamics of social structures. Both as a performer and a choreographer, she is drawn to collaborations that honor individual artistic voices within a collective process—nurturing environments that encourage experimentation, personal expression, and inclusive dialogue. She is especially interested in visual aesthetics that challenge both artists and audiences, pushing them beyond preconceived notions and creative boundaries.

Paula holds degrees from the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD) in Austria and the Bolshoi School in Brazil, as well as a degree in Public Policy and Administration. She has performed and created work across Europe, South America, and the USA with companies such as Balé do Teatro Guaíra, Arsenale della Danza at La Biennale di Venezia, Projeto Mov_oLA, and Hedwig Dances. Her artistic collaborators have included Francesca Harper, Ko Murobushi, Jozef Frucek, Linda Kapetanea, Alex Soares, Martin Kilvady, and others.

Since joining Hedwig Dances in 2023, Paula has worked with choreographers such as Natasha Adorlee, Mike Tyus, Jenna Pollack, Rigo Saura, Noelle Keyser, Anna Sapozhnikov, and Jan Bartoszek, while also serving as Assistant Rehearsal Director. In Chicago, she continues to collaborate with local artists including Jessi Stegall and Chih-Jou Cheng.

Her choreographic work spans both stage and film, and her most recent works include Under My Thumbs for Hedwig Dances, Nós for Dance in the Parks, ANA for Ruth Page Civic Ballet Training Company, Push for Noumenon Dance Ensemble, and The truth within, created during her residency at Illinois State University.

More of her work can be found at paulasousa.art.