Teaching Artist & Facilitator
Experienced workshop facilitator, university lecturer, and mentor dedicated to empowering individuals in their personal and professional growth. Passionate about fostering community, creativity, and holding space to discover solutions.
“Ana's workshops and masterclasses are among the best in our Career Development portfolio. Ana curates content that directly addresses what our students need to know as they bridge the gap from student to arts professional. Our students really respond to Ana's relatable teaching style, and her collaboration and commitment to making our program relevant is very much appreciated!”
Jessica Genick, Program Manager, Career Development and Alumni Relations at Tisch Drama, Adjunct Professor, NYU
College & Professional Cources
Intro to Physical Theatre
Introduces college students to the world of physical theater and physically based acting. Through a series of exercises, students will explore different styles, such as Viewpoints, Open Scenes, and Mask Work, to better understand how these techniques contribute to storytelling. Students will work individually and collaboratively, learning from the instructor and their peers, to develop their artistic voice and enhance their ability to create physically captivating theatre. The course also emphasizes effective communication and empathy in critiquing others' work and encourages self-assessment for artistic growth.
Intro to Documentary Theatre
An undergraduate BFA theatre course where students research, create, direct, and present their own original documentary theatre pieces on a political, social, or historical topic of their choice over the course of the semester.
This course is designed to help college students develop a clear and independent artistic voice, learn crucial skills in creating responsible and unique theatre, increase the student’s ability to communicate and critique the work of others with empathy and encourage rigorous artistic self-assessment.
Contact Improv
Concat Improv is an internationally evolving form of improvised partner dancing, originating in 1972. It explores body movement, weight sharing, and touch awareness. The practice involves falling off balance, counterbalancing, and learning the mechanics of the body to handle weight. It fosters a welcoming atmosphere for newcomers and experienced dancers, often overlapping with ecstatic dance communities. Developed by Steve Paxton and other pioneers, Concat Improv encompasses experimental dance, theatrical performances, education, and social dancing, while promoting awareness practice.
Produce Your Creative Opportunities
Embark on the journey of founding a non-profit theatre company in this enriching masterclass. Tailored for creatives eager to self-produce. Uncover the secrets of producing on a budget, effective collaboration, cultivating an engaged audience, and fostering a supportive community. Explore the nuances of staging a show at events like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I share insights garnered from my experience as the Founding Co-Artistic Director of What Will the Neighbors Say?.
Grant Writing 101
This masterclass introduces participants to the world of grant writing with a focus on turning creative ideas into tangible projects by securing funding. In this workshop, we define non-profit language, discuss research strategies, and identify what makes a good application. Students explore funding opportunities, including residencies, in-kind support, and grants, to bring their artistic visions to life.
K-12 EDUCATION
During her six-year tenure as Co-Artistic Director of What Will the Kids Say? (WWTNS?), Da Silva played a pivotal role in the education department. She passionately engaged with young individuals aged 5-17, collaborating on the production of WWTNS' flagship theatre-for-young-audiences musical, the "Untitled Shape Show," across Providence, New York, and Toronto. Da Silva and her colleagues at WWTNS? also dedicated themselves to providing free arts education to young people at Central Falls Summer Camp in Rhode Island and El Puente Presente Youth Leadership Center in New York.
Da Silav was a Teaching Artist with Town Hall in New York, providing theatre programming for K-12 public schools with NYCDOE clearance.
COLLEGE & PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Da Silva returned to her alma mater, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, as a mentor in the Tisch Women Mentorship program, where she taught a master class titled "Producing Your Own Creative Opportunities," catering to individuals pursuing a career in the theatre industry or seeking to create their own work. Da Silva also served as a guest panelist for Elizabeth Bradley's class on "Self-Start: Artistic Entrepreneurship."
In 2020, Da Silva joined the Adjunct Faculty at CUNY Queens College Department of Drama, where she co-taught the undergraduate BFA theatre course "Introduction to Documentary Theatre" alongside her WWTNS? colleagues. This led to WWTNS? being named Artists-in-Residence at the college for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.
In 2021, the WWTNS? team was invited to become Adjunct Faculty at the Wuhan Institute of Design & Sciences in Wuhan, China. They successfully taught the "Introduction to Physical Theatre" unit of the "Dance Performing in New Media Art" course.
Da Silva has been a guest speaker for Production and Design students at Ohio State University.
