ABOUT THE TAPA DANCE COMPANY“The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.” - Bell Hooks
The TAPA Dance Company is rehearsing for the revolution. How can movement help us find a sense of purpose and meaning? How can dance be a language of power to practice individual & collective liberation? The TAPA Dance Company works to re-center Dance Performance around Afro-Latin Traditions and feminist leadership. Our work as artists is always centered around the identity we bring to the table. In the TAPA Dance Company, 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, Sexism, and other forms of Oppression in our imaginations; in our collaborative process; and in the ways that teachers and students exist together in schools. TAPA’s Dance Company is a Feminist Multicultural Anti-Oppression community. 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, 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. 
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AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM & COMMUNITY CLASSES/WORKSHOPS
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AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM: Any student at TAPA, regardless of their Arts Major, can take advantage of free After School Dance Classes 5 days a week. Those interested in furthering their studies in Dance are encouraged to audition for TAPAstry, the TAPA Dance Company's pre-professional company, to train with guest choreographers from the Haus of Glitter Dance Company, TAPA's pipeline partnership with the Glitter Goddess Collective. 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.
COMMUNITY CLASSES/WORKSHOPS: Over the years, our audience has asked us to offer adult and family programming in the arts. With our new home at 275 Westminster, it's time to explore what it looks like to add to our robust after school youth programming and open our home's doors for our community of students, families, staff, alumni, friends, audiences, and community members to share creative space. TAPA is ready to serve our community as a safe, welcoming, and culturally relevant performance space and arts learning space for emerging/practicing artists and community members. Beginning in January 2020, the TAPA Dance Company, in partnership with the Haus of Glitter Dance Company & Glitter Goddess Collective, is launching sliding scale/donation-based classes and professional development workshops to exercise our mission to be a school with no walls. Contact Mr.Garza@TAPAProvidence.org for more information about community dance, yoga, and professional development offerings with the TAPA Dance Company. |
TAPA DANCE COMPANY FACULTY
Matt Garza, Creative Director | Dean of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Mr.Garza@TAPAProvidence.org || instagram.com/garzasmash
MATTHEW ROLANDO GARZA (he + they) is a Queer Tejanx/Latinx performance artist, Contemporary Afro-Latin choreographer, healer, & educator. Garza’s work explores the relationship between the individual human body and the collective body. Recently named the Inaugural Artist in Residence for the Providence Arts + Culture + Tourism Department and Parks Department for the historic Esek Hopkins Homestead & Park, Garza was also awarded the 2019 RI State Council for the Arts Fellowship in Choreography for their work as Creative Director for the TAPA Dance Company & Dean of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at TAPA: Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts in downtown Providence. As a practicing artist & 10-year classroom educator, Garza aims to cultivate compassionate spaces for communities to practice strength, resilience, radical self care, & revolutionary movement together. A founding member of the Glitter Goddess Collective & Haus of Glitter Dance Company, he is also a Senior Company Member of New Works/World Traditions Dance Company; an Art21 Educator; an Instructional Coach & Curriculum Designer for Project Wayfinder; an adjunct professor in the Theatre Department for CCRI's program in the Men and Women's prisons; a Community Organizer & Resident Artist for PRONK: Providence Honk Fest; and an Anatomy & Yoga/Asana Instructor for Yoga Alliance Teacher Certification Trainings, with an emphasis on inclusivity, transformative justice, & community healing. Garza holds a B.A. in Education History from Brown University ‘11 and a dual M.A. in Educational Theatre & Social Studies Education from NYU. In their free time, Garza enjoys glitter, painting, singing, practicing/teaching yoga, dismantling institutional oppression, eating spaghetti, and making masks/costumes.
Mr.Garza@TAPAProvidence.org || instagram.com/garzasmash
MATTHEW ROLANDO GARZA (he + they) is a Queer Tejanx/Latinx performance artist, Contemporary Afro-Latin choreographer, healer, & educator. Garza’s work explores the relationship between the individual human body and the collective body. Recently named the Inaugural Artist in Residence for the Providence Arts + Culture + Tourism Department and Parks Department for the historic Esek Hopkins Homestead & Park, Garza was also awarded the 2019 RI State Council for the Arts Fellowship in Choreography for their work as Creative Director for the TAPA Dance Company & Dean of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at TAPA: Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts in downtown Providence. As a practicing artist & 10-year classroom educator, Garza aims to cultivate compassionate spaces for communities to practice strength, resilience, radical self care, & revolutionary movement together. A founding member of the Glitter Goddess Collective & Haus of Glitter Dance Company, he is also a Senior Company Member of New Works/World Traditions Dance Company; an Art21 Educator; an Instructional Coach & Curriculum Designer for Project Wayfinder; an adjunct professor in the Theatre Department for CCRI's program in the Men and Women's prisons; a Community Organizer & Resident Artist for PRONK: Providence Honk Fest; and an Anatomy & Yoga/Asana Instructor for Yoga Alliance Teacher Certification Trainings, with an emphasis on inclusivity, transformative justice, & community healing. Garza holds a B.A. in Education History from Brown University ‘11 and a dual M.A. in Educational Theatre & Social Studies Education from NYU. In their free time, Garza enjoys glitter, painting, singing, practicing/teaching yoga, dismantling institutional oppression, eating spaghetti, and making masks/costumes.
Assi Coulibaly, Choreographer in Residence
Ms.Coulibaly@TAPAProvidence.org
ASSI COULIBALY (she/her/hers) is a Malian-American dancer, choreographer, and writer based in Providence, Rhode Island. Assitan began training in West African dance with New Works/World Traditions at Brown University with whom she has performed and travelled worldwide. Much of her choreographic work is greatly inspired by her Malian heritage and is highlighted by her fusion of Coupe Decalé, Afrobeats, traditional West African, and Hip Hop dance and music styles. These bodies of work are meant to reflect the fun and energetic community lifestyle that is reminiscent of her childhood growing up between the United States and Mali. She has taught West African Dance at Wheaton College, the Dance Complex in Cambridge, MA, and is in her second year as the Adjunct Dance Artist in Residence at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts. Assitan holds her B.A. in Psychology with a double minor in Peace and Social Justice and French from Wheaton College-MA (2017). In addition to her art, she is a Teaching Artist and Performer with Pushed Learning and Media, a Boston based non-profit that specializes in diversity, privilege, and racial justice education. Assitan is currently a member of New Works/ World Traditions Dance Company, a principal dancer with Troupe Yeredon in Mali, and is a founding member of the Haus of Glitter Dance Company. Outside of her African Dance practice, Assitan enjoys Latin (Bachata, Merengue, Salsa, and Cumbia), Dancehall, Step, and Contemporary dance styles.
Ms.Coulibaly@TAPAProvidence.org
ASSI COULIBALY (she/her/hers) is a Malian-American dancer, choreographer, and writer based in Providence, Rhode Island. Assitan began training in West African dance with New Works/World Traditions at Brown University with whom she has performed and travelled worldwide. Much of her choreographic work is greatly inspired by her Malian heritage and is highlighted by her fusion of Coupe Decalé, Afrobeats, traditional West African, and Hip Hop dance and music styles. These bodies of work are meant to reflect the fun and energetic community lifestyle that is reminiscent of her childhood growing up between the United States and Mali. She has taught West African Dance at Wheaton College, the Dance Complex in Cambridge, MA, and is in her second year as the Adjunct Dance Artist in Residence at Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts. Assitan holds her B.A. in Psychology with a double minor in Peace and Social Justice and French from Wheaton College-MA (2017). In addition to her art, she is a Teaching Artist and Performer with Pushed Learning and Media, a Boston based non-profit that specializes in diversity, privilege, and racial justice education. Assitan is currently a member of New Works/ World Traditions Dance Company, a principal dancer with Troupe Yeredon in Mali, and is a founding member of the Haus of Glitter Dance Company. Outside of her African Dance practice, Assitan enjoys Latin (Bachata, Merengue, Salsa, and Cumbia), Dancehall, Step, and Contemporary dance styles.
TAPA Dance Community Partners
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