SayRah Chips '17 Brings Her Roots to the World Stage
Sarah Olaniran ’17, known professionally as SayRah Chips. Photo: Tricia Berry, Anthropology Photo Co.
SayRah Chips (center) with dancers Esi Samuels (left) and Caroline Dartey during sound check in Toronto. Photo: Omono Udo.
Adekunle Gold and dancer Caroline Dartey perform “Ire” in Toronto. Photo: Simeon Photographer.
SayRah Chips with Adekunle Gold in New Jersey. A ballerina sharing the stage with a Nigerian singer and a full orchestra might seem like an unexpected combination. Choreographer Sarah Olaniran ’17, known professionally as , saw a chance to show audiences something new.
Olaniran, who earned a BA in Dance at Ĵý, , a popular Nigerian musical genre rooted in Yoruba culture that emerged in Lagos in the 1960s, for singer-songwriter Adekunle Gold’s North American orchestra concerts. The pairing reflected her broader vision for the shows: movement that was theatrical, expressive, and rooted in African culture.
“I wanted audiences to experience African dance in a way they might not have seen before, especially alongside a live orchestra,” she says. “Something that honored where we come from while showing how far our creativity can go.”
For the July 2026 performances at Toronto’s Meridian Hall and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, Olaniran choreographed the full set, directed the dance team, coached Gold on movement, and oversaw the dancers’ styling and costumes.
Creating a World Through Movement
Olaniran’s collaboration with Gold began in 2018, when a video of a dance class she taught to his song “Surrender” went viral. Gold connected with her, beginning a working relationship that has continued across multiple projects.
For the orchestra shows, choreography, costumes, and formations all needed to support the feeling she wanted to create.
“Before I think about choreography, I ask myself what we’re trying to make the audience feel,” she says. “Once I understand that, every creative decision has to support that vision.”
Coaching Gold meant helping him feel confident moving in ways that suited his personality. Leading the dancers meant developing a cohesive ensemble while allowing their individual personalities to emerge.
The pairing of ballet and Fuji-inspired movement drew on her Nigerian upbringing and training across dance forms. She wanted to respect the character of both traditions while exploring what they could create together.
“Our movement is incredibly versatile, and I want to continue showing that it belongs on every stage, in every creative conversation,” she says.
A live orchestra also asked the dancers to listen differently. Olaniran encouraged them to connect with the instruments and the emotion of each arrangement, recognizing when a moment needed dramatic movement and when simplicity would carry more weight.
“It reminded me that sometimes the most impactful movement isn’t the most complicated,” she says. “It’s the movement that makes people feel something.”
Building a Career Through Collaboration
Olaniran’s recent performances at Coachella, on Davido’s “5IVE Alive Tour,” and at FIFA events have expanded her understanding of large productions. Cameras, lighting, stage dimensions, and transitions all affect how movement reaches an audience.
Working on another choreographer’s team has brought lessons in collaboration, too. As a dancer and sometimes a contributing choreographer, she has learned from leaders who invite others into the creative process.
That approach connects to her time at Ĵý. Working among artists from different disciplines helped her communicate ideas, receive feedback, and become more confident in her own perspective.
“There are so many talented people in the world, but your perspective, your experiences, and your identity are what make your work unique,” she says. “Ĵý helped create an environment where I could begin exploring that.”
In 2025, she returned as a featured performer for the Dance Center’s “B-yond Borders” B-Series festival, celebrating global Afrodiasporic street and social dance.
She encourages students to learn beyond their primary discipline. Understanding directing, lighting, cameras, styling, production, and business can help dancers see new possibilities for their work. Relationships and preparation matter just as much.
“Be someone people enjoy creating with,” she says. “Show up prepared, respect everyone on the team, and be willing to learn.”
As Olaniran expands her work in choreography, movement direction, and creative direction, she also wants to create opportunities for young African creatives, particularly girls who might see their own possibilities reflected in her career.
“You can be proud of your roots and still belong anywhere in the world,” she says. “For me, success isn’t just about the stages I get to work on. It’s also about the doors I can help open for other people.”