We were lucky to catch up with Rita Addico Cohen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rita, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Creating ACE (African Cultural Education) with TACA (the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance) has allowed me and our staff to bring one African country at time to (predominantly underserved) youth and adults in our community. The project began in April 2020, when we were all ‘sheltered in place’ as result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaning on my Ghanaian upbringing with folk stories, I created a fun family-friendly educational program that appealed to kids and adults alike. Beginning with Facebook lives, then transitioning to Zoom, and finally in-person, engaging with so many kids AND adults through African folk stories, culture, language, and dance. This program has placed us as Teaching Artists with the VA Commission for the Arts, and has awarded us with many grants to be able to reach thousands of kids in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and VA Beach.

One of my favorite experiences in delivering this program was watching a 5 year old who was part of the ForKids organization come out of her shell and from behind her older sister’s shadow, becoming more social – even volunteering to teach US some dance moves – a couple of months into the program!

Rita, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Born in Accra, Ghana, I immigrated to Norfolk, VA as a child. I attended the University of VA on a full academic scholarship as an Achievement and Echols Scholar. Dancing AND singing for as long as I can remember, I graduated with a BA in Classical Music and received my Master of Music in Classical Voice Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. After singing professionally from NY through Texas (including with VA Opera), I paused my vocal career to focus on my two now young adult children.

It was during that pause that I reconnected to my Dance ‘side,’ jumping enthusiastically on the zumba Fitness craze. I fused my performing abilities, fluency in many languages (English, French, Ga, Ga Dangme, German, Italian, Spanish, Twi) and innate fitness to become an international Zumba® and African Dance instructor, teaching thousands of kids and adults in our local Hampton Roads area and beyond. I am a multiple Presenter of the international Zumba Instructors Convention, where I was awarded Humanitarian of the Year in 2022 for my work with the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance., the 501 c3 nonprofit organization that I founded. Its Mission is to unite the greater Tidewater region through educational programs, cultural arts, and events.

I created several highly acclaimed avenues to share my African culture with adults and children alike, using the arts, history, and language. I created a 3-tier educational program that has placed me and the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance (TACA), on the Teaching Roster of the Virginia Commission for the Arts. I also dance with the TACA Diaspora Dance Ensemble.

I am in demand as a Teaching Artist with Young Audiences Virginia/Arts 4 Learning; and a highly sought after (African) Dance Instructor/Choreographer and Speaker on African culture/the arts/using the arts as a catalyst for social change. I spent part of the 2023 summer immersed in the cultural arts of her native Ghana.

It is my goal to travel to at least one African country per year and share its cultural arts with my community, as well as the students of the Governor’s School of the Arts, where I currently teaches West African Dance.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

It may not be during my lifetime due to the sheer number of people, countries, and cultures involved, but I do all that I do with the Vision of a united African Diaspora.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is that I get to create something that can benefit everyone who takes part in it – like a meal, whether it’s dance and its long-lasting benefits from endorphins, or a program that incorporates many cultural arts aspects simultaneously, therefore entertaining and educating..

Contact Info:

• Website: taca757.org
• Instagram: @taca757
• Facebook: Tidewater African Cultural Alliance
• Linkedin: Tidewater African Cultural Alliance
• Youtube: Tidewater African Cultural Alliance

Image Credits
Mr Dear Shot Me, Mobile Photo Lab