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Image description: A black man from Burkina Faso stands smiling. He has a bald head and wears a silver suit and a dark flowery shirt while standing in front of trees and bush of colorful flowers. Photo by David Crow.
Olivier Tarpaga
he/him/his
Lenapehoking; Philadelphia, PA
Olivier Tarpaga (U.S.A. / Burkina Faso), is a Princeton University 2018-2019 Caroline Hearst artist in-residence and a Lester Horton Award–winning choreographer/director of the African Music Ensemble of Princeton University. His music and dance work have been described as “unforgettable” by the LA Times, “extraordinary” by The New York Times, and “exceptionally smart work” by Broad Street Review – Philadelphia. Tarpaga’s choreography is hybrid contemporary dance theatre with an emphasis on original live music. Since 2000 Tarpaga has conceived dynamic dance theater works, touring internationally and in the U.S. with an impressive roster of collaborators and commissioning partners including Kelly Strayhorn Theater (Pgh), Harlem Stage, Joyce Theater, REDCAT, Crossing the Line Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, Action Danse Festival (Morocco), Charleroi Dance Biennale (Belgium), Natanda Dance Festival (Sri Lanka), and Session House (Tokyo). Tarpaga’s major works includes When Birds Refused to Fly (2019), Declassified Memory Fragment (2015), Not Because You’re African (2010), Disorder Inside Order (2008), Sira Kan (2007) and Tin Suka (2001). Tarpaga is the founder and artistic director of Dafra Drum and of Dafra Kura Band, as well as co-founder of the Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project. He danced with David Rousseve from 2006 to 2010, when he was also a State Department Art Envoy in South Africa, Botswana, Burkina Faso, and Sri Lanka. He has been commissioned by The Limon Dance Company, Connecticut Ballet, The Temple of Fine Arts (Perth, Australia) and Maya Dance Theater (Singapore). Tarpaga has performed and taught dance and music in 60 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania.
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