Our Legacy of Justice and Equity
Boca Tuya was founded with a clear intention: to leave behind a more just, more humane dance world than the one we inherited. Our work lives at the intersection of artistic excellence and social responsibility. We are committed to building a legacy where dance is not only about performance but also about people, dignity, and possibility.
A Culture That Endures
We believe that how we make work is as important as the work itself. Boca Tuya champions a studio culture that protects the long-term health of its artists. By prioritizing economic stability, mental wellbeing, and respectful collaboration, we are shaping a sustainable model of dance creation that can be passed on to future generations.
Practicing Equity as Inheritance
Our commitment to equity is active, not aspirational. We work to dismantle harmful labor practices and systemic inequities embedded in the performing arts by embedding fairness into every level of our operations. This includes hiring, pay transparency, and how we share authorship. We hope the systems we create now will become the standard for the next generation of artists and organizations.
Art as an Offering to Community
Boca Tuya sees performance and education as twin pillars of lasting change. Through outreach, touring, and workshops, we meet people where they are. We extend the reach of contemporary dance to schools, community spaces, and culturally underserved environments. This is how we build bridges, plant seeds, and widen the field of who gets to belong.
Legacy Through Leadership
As a queer Puertorriqueño-led company, Boca Tuya understands the power of representation. This includes not just who appears onstage, but also who leads and makes decisions. Omar Román De Jesús leads from lived experience, shaping a body of work that reflects the complexity of diasporic, queer, and intersectional identities. We do not claim to arrive without compromise, but we aim to move with integrity. We work to honor our truths even as we navigate the demands of story and stage.
The Practice of Change
We recognize that legacy is not a fixed outcome. It is a practice. We are continuously learning, listening, and evolving, because a just future requires present accountability. Through every commission, rehearsal, and performance, Boca Tuya is laying groundwork. Our goal is not only our own success, but a field that remembers how to care.