About Pilar Wilder

Georgette Pilar Wilder began her dance career in her hometown of Augusta, GA. There, her mother Orlando C. Wilder, enrolled her in ballet, tap, and jazz dance at Martinez Evans, Augusta West Dance and Cutno Dance Studios. Pilar peformed as a principal member of the West African dance company A.B.A.T.S.U. Pilar moved to Macon, GA, in the fall of 1997 to attend the historic Wesleyan College. As a freshman, she started the West African dance club called Harambee AfricanTribal Sounds Unlimited (Harambee!!!). That group is now known as Hayiya Dance Theatre, Inc., Macon’s oldest West African Dance Ensemble.

While attending Wesleyan, Pilar performed as a principal member and choreographer of Harambee!!!, Expressions Dance Ensemble, and the Wesleyan College Dance Ensemble. On January 17, 2001 the college senior opened Hayiya Dance Theatre. She graduated as Wesleyan Woman of Success 2001. Soon after, she taught as an adjunct professor at Fort Valley State University, instructor at Macon State College, dance teacher at Tubman African American Museum, and Artist-In-Residence for the Macon Arts Alliance concurrently. Pilar served as the first dance instructor and Fine Arts Department Chair for Miller Fine Arts Magnet Middle School from 2004 to 2009. While there she was also awarded the honor of Teacher Of The Year 2007-2008.

Since their inceptions in 1997 and 2001, respectively, Pilar was served as the choreographer and artistic of Hayiya Dance Theatre, Inc. and Hayiya Dance Theatre Movement Institute and Center for Cultural Arts.

Pilar currently holds a Georgia Teaching Certificate issued by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and is identified as a Highly Qualified Teacher. She is an enthusiastic and motivating teacher with 14 years of experience as an instructor and choreographer.

Pilar has received dance and Arts Integration education from the Bibb County Institute of the Arts, International Centre for African Music and Dance, Ghana, West Africa, Sala Adenike, Ferneasa Cutno, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Denver, CO, New World School of the Arts, Miami, FL. She has also regularly participated in summer dance training with master teachers including Chuck Davis, Mariatou Cisse, Baba Ishangi, Carmen De Lavallade, and Alvin Ailey Workshops.

Pilar is an active member in the community. She works as a sponsor and coordinator for New Town Macon’s Friday Fest and serves as a board member of the Macon Arts Alliance and Macon Dog Park PTA. Pilar also works as a volunteer docent for the Museum of Arts & Sciences and Live exhibit docent for Tubman Museum.

Pilar’s work was recently recognized by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The foundation award Hayiya with an arts grant.

The consummate teacher, Pilar currently, seasonally and/or formally taught dance and West African Percussion at a number of venues in Middle Georgia including Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Bibb County Parks and Recreation, Hayiya Dance Theatre, Miller Middle School, Wilkinson County High School, Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Bread and Roses (Firehouse Productions, Aunt Maggie’s Kitchen Table Community Center, Museum of Arts & Sciences, Booker T. Washington Center, Georgia College & State University Kid’s College, Greater Bellevue Baptist Church, Bibb County Institute of the Arts, Macon Arts Alliance, Fort Valley State University Upward Bound, 11th Hour Magazine, Fort Valley State University, Tubman Museum, Jessie Rice Elementary, Macon Arts Alliance, Macon State College, Bibb County Schools, and Bibb County Parks and Recreation

Pilar currently holds professional memberships with National Dance Education Organization, National Dance Association, American Alliance for Health Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

Her passion for dance, education, and our youth fuels her never ending work in the community. However, Pilar could have never done it alone. God sent the wonderful matriarch to watch over her and encourage her work. Orlando C. Wilder believed in the value of hard work, honesty, love, and respect, and the world is a more beautiful place because of her. Ase!

Professional and community recognitions include:

Wesleyan College Ground Breakers Panelist, 2011
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Grant, 2010
Business 101, Macon Telegraph, 2010
Moment in Black History Featured Community Leader, 2010 Wesleyan College
Howard High School Silver Paw Award, 2010
Article Feature, 2010 M Food and Culture Magazine
Women in Arts Feature, 2009 Wesleyan College Magazine
Teacher of the Year, 2008 Miller Middle School, Bibb County B.O.E.
Celebrity Chef, 2007 Macon Arts Alliance Fundraiser
Cultural Arts Award, 2004 Macon Art Alliance
Who’s Who Among American College Students 1997 – 2001
City of Macon Goodwill Ambassador and Fine Arts Envoy to Ghana, West Africa 2003
Woman of Success, 2001 Wesleyan College
Dean’s List, Fall 1997, Fall 1998 – Spring 2001