How can movement help us find a sense of purpose and meaning? How can dance be a language of power? The Dance Program at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts supports students to expand their movement vocabulary while also developing the skills to be innovators and creators of dance. Using the National Core Arts Standards in Dance, the TAPA Dance Company works to re-center Dance Education around Afro-Latin Dance Traditions, as well as learning, performing, creating, and teaching choreography that pushes these boundaries. Our work as artists is always centered around the identity we bring to the table. At TAPA, our process of working together calls upon the embodied wisdom of our ancestors to heal, take care of one another, and share our strength. Thus, we actively work together to dismantle Racism and Oppression in our imaginations; in our collaborative process; and in the ways that teachers and students exist together in schools.

Our traditions exist.
Our traditions belong.
Our imaginations exist.
Our imaginations belong.

TAPA’s Dance Company is a Multicultural Anti-Oppression community.

In Lower School (7th & 8th grade), dancers practice yoga and meditation every day to strengthen our resiliency practice as students, artists, and human beings. By practicing the mind-body connection, Lower School dancers ask the questions: How can I support my body to build new skills? How can I practice being creative? During 7th & 8th grade Arts Rotations, dancers will also learn about the History of Social Dance: How does dance bring people together? How has dance sparked social change? Why did humans create the language of dance? To prepare for their High School Arts Audition, dancers will practice the discipline necessary to be a dancer, athlete, and artist.

Upper School (9th - 12th grade) Dance Majors experience what it takes to be an active member of a Dance Company. Each class of Dance Majors functions as a Dance Company, taking on various responsibilities as Dancers, Choreographers, Rehearsal Assistants, Costume Designers, Music Producers, Hair/Makeup Specialists, and Curriculum Writers. Dance Majors take technique classes; design and facilitate lesson plans; and learn to run their own rehearsals to develop the skills necessary to be dancers, choreographers, and teaching artists with a unique point of view as performance artists. Every Dance Major practices yoga and meditation intensively throughout their four years at TAPA, also building the skills to pursue work as yoga/dance teachers, meditation coaches, and purpose-driven work after high school graduation. By Senior Year, dancers at TAPA are fully realized Performance Artists, with the skills to create innovative conceptual work that is rooted in an authentic, expressive, and culturally relevant movement practices as well as social-justice informed research.

Any student at TAPA, regardless of their Arts Major, can take advantage of free after school Dance Classes 5 days a week. While after school class change from year to year, these classes provide additional training in genres such as Yoga, Hip Hop, Breakdance, Contemporary Dance, Latin Ballroom, Vogue-Femme, African Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Modern Dance, and Acro/Tumbling. After School Dance Classes are taught by students, local college students, visiting guest artists, and our TAPA faculty/staff.

---

TAPA Dance Team

Matt Garza, Dance Artist in Residence
Mr.Garza@TAPAProvidence.org
Matthew Rolando Garza is an educator and performance artist originally from South Texas who has worked in the U.S., Ghana, Mali, South Korea & Costa Rica. A recipient of The Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship for Aspiring Teachers of Color, M. Garza holds a B.A. in Education History from Brown '11 and an M.A. in Educational Theatre & Social Studies Education from NYU Steinhardt. While in NYC, Garza was a special needs classroom teacher for 3 years, an Art21 Educator, & the Education Director for B&M Fine Art Studios, while he also studied Movement & Ashtanga Yoga with Alvin Ailey & the Joschi Institute. Mr. Garza is Company Member of New Works/World Traditions Dance Company, a practicing yoga teacher, and also teaches undergraduate courses in the Rhode Island Adult Corrections Institute. He particularly enjoys Latin, West African, Hip Hop, Vogue, Dancehall, and Contemporary Dance.

Lisa Travis, Adjunct Choreographer in Residence
Ms.Travis@TAPAProvidence.org
Lisa has served on the faculty of the department of Music, Theater and Dance at Plymouth State University, the Holderness School, and is the former Director of Dance at New Hampton School. She has performed professionally with several dance companies and has worked as Choreographer for Plymouth State University’s Department of Theater. In addition to her extensive dance background, Lisa is a certified Vinyasa Yoga Teacher.

---