Artistic Statement
Dancers are doers.
Being put in a circumstance where our actions suddenly become limited and our thinking becomes limitless gives us the means to troubleshoot, reflect, and open critical conversations about the landscape we want to build. This way of thinking has consumed me as I’m sure it has likewise consumed many of you since early 2020. This sense of imagination, part survival tool and part portal opener, has become a mechanism for resilience that has gripped dancers around the world. Now is the time to put those dream worlds into action. ​
Photo by Tania Palomeque
As both a director and choreographer my goals all center around a commitment to build the infrastructure for a sustainable life in dance for my company while using my voice to champion the upcoming generation of LatinX/a/o leaders more broadly. Living as a Queer Puertorriqueño myself, I use my work to explore the complexities of these identities while revealing injustices pertaining to the people who share similar experiences and upbringings. I do not want my people to be considered “underserved”. We are not underserved, but under-resourced and under- heard. I hope to be part of the driving force that brings this fact to light.
As I look ahead to our upcoming 7th season, I am excited for the ways I already see these aims materializing. Through ongoing relationships, global collaborations, innovative commissions, teaching opportunities, and new friendships, I am excited to spearhead our efforts to celebrate contemporary dance throughout New York and beyond.
A life in the arts has never been a solo act. I am deeply honored and humbled to hold this place of responsibility and recognize that those of us in leadership only have that privilege thanks to the people in our community who have helped us along the way and continue to believe in our work. If you are reading this, I count you among those whose curiosity, optimism, and love of dance have been integral in pushing Boca Tuya forward. Involving more perspectives in our work allows more people to find entry points into dance.
I live to give dancers and audiences a platform to dream without boundaries.
Thank you for standing with me to make this vision come true.
Omar Román de Jesús
CORE VALUES​
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Uplift Latiné Voices in the Arts
Champion visibility for emerging Latiné leaders by expanding pathways for artists across the Latin diaspora. Boca Tuya prioritizes representation, advocacy, and resourcing for artists whose voices have historically been excluded from dominant arts narratives.
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Sustain Contemporary Artists Through Holistic Opportunity
Support the careers of mature contemporary artists through dynamic residencies, teaching platforms, touring engagements, and global partnerships—designed to nourish both artistic growth and long-term sustainability.
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Shape the Contemporary Canon with Integrity and Imagination
Create genre-expanding dance works across stage and film, rooted in collaboration, innovation, and equitable artistic practices. Boca Tuya is committed to honoring the value of every contributor through inclusive and transparent hiring.
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Invest in Community as Cultural Infrastructure
Build enduring civic relationships that center dance as a tool for economic resilience, cultural pride, and community participation. Boca Tuya sees local investment as essential to the national and global evolution of the arts.
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Bridge Generations of Dance Leadership
Facilitate dialogue and connection between legacy institutions and emerging dance organizations to strengthen the ecosystem of contemporary dance. Through mentorship, co-creation, and shared visibility, we move the field forward—together.