Biography

Swatzie is an Atlanta-based choreographer, filmmaker, and performer whose work is rooted in cinematic storytelling and the emotional architecture of the body. Raised in Atlanta and trained at DeKalb School of the Arts, she earned her BFA in Dance from The University of the Arts. Her practice centers choreography as a narrative tool, blending cinematic composition, musicality, and theatricality to interrogate social consciousness, collective memory, and the complexity of Black identity.

Her work has been recognized nationally, including being named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” (2024). As a filmmaker, her short film "META" received the 2021 BronzeLens Film Festival Award for Best Music and Dance Film. Her film "growing roots through concrete" has been presented internationally, including as an Official Selection of ADF’s Movies by Movers (2023) and receiving an Honorable Mention at the Jacksonville Dance-Film Festival.

Swatzie’s choreographic work spans concert performance, film, musical theatre, and education. Her credits include creating movement for the Alliance Theatre’s production of "The Incredible Book Eating Boy" and contributing choreographic work to institutions such as Spelman Dance Theatre and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has also served as Assistant Choreographer on professional projects across theatre, television, and film, most recently on "Damsel" at Cabaret Restaurant and Bar, creative directed by Otis Sallid.

Across disciplines, her work is distinguished by its cinematic sensibility, emotional precision, and commitment to generating work that challenges perception and deepens collective awareness.

Swatzie is a visiting faculty member in the BFA Dance Lab at Bennington for Spring 2026.