Sybarite Dance Company was founded in the summer of 2004 by a collective of highly-experienced dancers and choreographers who strived to create a home for the younger generation of underground dancers of New York City.

In September of 2004, an initial audition was held by the Director of Sybarite, Dinna Alexanyan, with four different groups of choreographers representing four different genres of dance (hip hop, dance hall, house and breaking). Due to the prestigious reputation of the founders over 200 phenomenal urban dancers attended the audition. To be chosen for the company, the dancer had to present a unique hypnotizing spirit and soul in their movement and performance. Their dance had to demonstrate a degree of feeling and emotion that would inspire an audience Ð making viewers feel as though the dancer's very survival, their very essence of pain and joy, depended on their next movement. By virtue of this standard for acceptance into the company, the majority of the 40 dancers that were chosen had survived extremely difficult lives (a troubled background of broken homes, gangs, deaths of young friends, foster placements, drug abuse, violent crimes etc.) through the art of dance. The agony and the ecstasy these dancers elicited in their audience was a reflection of emotions that they had experienced.

The company functioned as a collective with the value of never excluding any individual from the community who wanted to learn. Monthly workshops were held featuring a founding choreographer and his/her particular genre of dance. Everyone from the community was welcome to take this workshop for the affordable price of $20 for two hours with a $5 discount for each of their guests. The company members were mandated to take the class, free of charge. All fees went to the choreographer for their time. At the completion of each workshop, the choreographer chose 5-10 dancers to perform the selected piece in the coming month. If an individual from the community was chosen, they were immediately placed into the company, thus creating an ongoing audition format for all students in the community. For the next month all company members were mandated to attend rehearsals two times a week to master the previously taught piece, with the principal chosen dancers perfecting the piece for performance at the completion of the month.

By the following summer of 2005, although all dancers from the community continued to be welcomed, 24 principal dancers remained. By virtue of the family type structure we created, with founders acting as parents, models and ultimately confidents for the younger members, the dancers that remained became committed to the company. As previously noted, most of the dancers came from troubled backgrounds; they found solace and a sense of family and community in the company. Our workshops had become a disciplined sanctuary for those young adults allowing them to find success, meaning and a sense of belonging via a creative medium in a positive environment. The company metamorphosed into a type of home. We developed the reputation of taking in talented young adults from underprivileged backgrounds who longed to experience guidance, enhanced self-esteem, artistic growth and ultimately unconditional love and respect. Their talents and personalities flourished. From this experience Sybarite Productions developed the non-profit Artist Development Center which was created in October of 2006.