Katie Tapalaga

Born in Queens, NY, Katie (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in dance at the Univerity of Southern California Kaufman School of Dance where she trains in multiple styles such as ballet, venacular jazz, house, African dance, Horton and Dunham techniques. She has performed works by Tyce Diorio, Mandy Moore, Caili Quan, Robert Roldan, Roderick George, Waverly Fredricks, to name a few. She is also a Royal Flux company member under the artistic direction of Jaci Royal. Katie trained at local dance schools, That’s Dancin and Jump Dance Company, along with attending Frank Sinatra School of the Arts under the guidance of Ian DaSilva, Ani Udovicki, and Oliver Heuts. She has also attended numerous Joffery Ballet’s summer programs, Marinda Davis’s The Storytellers Intensive, and is a graduate of MOVE|NYC| Young Perfessional Program under co-founders and artistic directors, Nigel Campbell and Chanel DaSilva. Most recently, Katie traveled to Berlin, to study and practice from a vibrant and diverse group of choreographers within the city’s avant-garde dance scene such as Orlando Rodriguez who danced with Sasha Waltz & Guests and Pau Aran Gimeno who danced under Pina Bausch. Katie believes that seeing individuals express themselves through movement in their own unique way gives her the drive to keep exploring her own artistic capabilities.