Born in Syracuse, New York, S. Arthur Sicilia began his dance training at age 12 at the Ballet and Dance Center, starting in ballet, jazz, and tap, and later adding modern dance, partnering, and hip-hop. Sicilia attended Manlius Pebble Hill School on Performing Arts Scholarship, where he performed the works of iconic dance figures such as Limon, Humphrey, Balanchine, Robbins, Battle, Ailey, Giordano, and Fosse. Here, Sicilia also created and performed eight original works and served as dance director for musical productions including "Cabaret," which received an award for best choreography from the Syracuse Landmark High School Theater Awards in 2015. Prior to graduation from Manlis Pebble Hill, Sicilia completed a thesis project on the benefits of arts education in conjunction with academic education, which was submitted to the New York State Department of Education. Through Syracuse University's high school residency programs, S. Arthur participated in residencies with Paul Taylor 2 Dance Company, Buglisi Dance Theatre, Diavolo Dance Theater, Maryl Tankard, and Meredith Monk. Sicilia's involvement in the Paul Taylor 2 residency got the attention of film director Scott Coffey, who cast him as a dancer in his Syracuse-based film for Netflix titled "Adult World," staring Emma Roberts.
During his high school years, Sicilia spent summers studying at the New York State Summer School of the Arts, School of Modern Dance, where he received the Mae Banner Award. At NYSSSA, Sicilia studied under the direction of Carolyn Adams, Julie Adams Strandburg, Erika Pujic, Francesca Harper, BJ Sullivan, and Marisa Ballaro. Sicilia later joined Marisa Ballaro in New York City for the premier performance of her company "Ballaro Dance," in 2014. He returned to NYSSSA in 2018 as head counselor and assistant to the faculty, including guest artist Earl Mosley. in 2019, S. Arthur returned as Assistant Director for Administration and assisted Erika Pujic and Laura Bennett in teaching Bennett's work, "Reverie."
Sicilia graduated summa cum laude from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, earning his BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance with an emphasis in Modern Dance. He was recipient of the Jan Veen Scholarship for Dance Education. Sicilia's studies range from Classical Ballet and Jazz, to Contemporary Techniques and Hip-Hop, as well as improvisation and choreography, dance pedagogy, and studies in dance on film, dance theater, laban movement analysis, and technical direction for dance with leading dance education figures such as Kurt Douglas, Gianni Dimarco, Danielle Davidson, Joy Davis, Donna Silva, Brian McGinnis, and Tommy Neblett. At the Conservatory, he has performed works by Diane Arvanites, Keith A. Thompson, Stephanie Martinez, Alyx Henigman, Santiago Maclean, Merce Cunningham, Uri Sands, Carly Cherone, Duane Lee Holland, Roderick George, and Laila Franklin. In addition, he has created and directed work for showcases and performance projects. Sicilia spent summers in between years the Conservatory attending the Gaga Intensive at Mark Morris Dance Center and Transformation Danse Montreal. Before beginning his senior year S. Arthur Sicilia performed for over 31,000 people at the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America 2018 Youth Gathering in Houston Texas.
Sicilia received pedagogic certification from the Royal Academy of Dance, completing the Boston Conservatory's Access Route in 2018.
In the summer of 2019, S. Arthur Sicilia moved to Freiburg, Germany to join the faculty of DanceEmotion Academy and Studio, as well as the professional NeoDance Company.
S. Arthur Sicilia received his MA in Dance Performance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2021. As a member of Transitions Dance Company, Sicilia performed new works by Didy Veldman, Dog Kennel Hill Project, and Rahel Vonmoss. Sicilia's dissertation "SELF=Employment: Enabling Versatility Potential For Multiple and Varying Performance Needs Through Examination of Deep Embodiment of the Performing “Self” in the Creative Process and Performance of Didy Veldman’s “Soufflé” was well received.
In 2022, S. Arthur Sicilia was guest choreographer for Syracuse City Ballet. With the company Sicilia created two new works, "A Lover's Fee" and "Manifestos."
S. Arthur Sicilia is currently a soloist of Tanzlinz at Landestheater Linz in his second season, where he has performed in new creations by Johannes Wieland, Ashley Lobo and Christ Haring, as well as his own choreography "Floodlights" as part of the production "The Garden." The entire ensemble of Tanzlinz received the 2022 Tanz-Preis awarded by the Friends of the Theater. In Linz, S. Arthur Sicilia continues to teach modern dance occasionally for Professional Dance Training Linz. He additionally performs and creates external projects such as his installation solo "Window Stories: The Body Twice Removed," which premiered in 2022.