Livya Howard-Yashar

Livya Howard-Yashar is a Lecturer in the School of Music and Dance at San Diego State University (SDSU), part of the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. She holds an MFA in Choreography from the California Institute of the Arts and a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, where she trained under Sara Rudner. Her interdisciplinary practice bridges dance, music, and cultural studies.

Her research focuses on the intersection of concert, commercial, and folkloric dance forms, emphasizing musicality and rhythm. She integrates vocal and percussion performance into contemporary dance, exploring storytelling through movement, language, and music to address cultural identity and social action. Livya has performed with notable groups such as Sarah Elgart-Arrogant Elbow and Mojácar Flamenco, and her work has been showcased in venues like Stomping Ground LA, Highways Performance Space, and St. Marks Church.

As an educator, she prioritizes embodiment and the role of performance in fostering interpersonal skills and cultural understanding. Her residencies and workshops span Israel, China, Greece, Ghana, Denmark, and the UK, reflecting her commitment to cross-cultural collaboration.