We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tikiri Shapiro. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tikiri below.

Tikiri, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Before I put a show into motion, I try to answer a few things: What do I have to say? What do I want them to take away from this work? And why would they come to see it? a.k.a why would they buy a ticket? If I can sell myself on the answers to these questions, I usually move forward.

I recently choreographed a show called “How People Leave” with my dance company, Sea Legs Dance, inspired by Mary Oliver’s poetry, The Uses of Sorrow. Her poem reads “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.” The show dealt with topics of grief, healing, and growth. I pulled from my own experiences intending to relate to others who might have gone through similar things and then tried to create an atmosphere on stage that left the audience with a sense of hope. After the shows, I received heartfelt comments on how audience members felt levity & peace after seeing the show. Hearing how an audience connects with a show and listening to their different interpretations is what personally makes it meaningful and fulfilling to choreograph.

One of my more cherished values in choreography is connecting with the audience through storytelling. I view this connection as a seemingly simple sentiment that needs to be backed up with depth and thoughtfulness in order to be effective & rich with meaning. To connect with the audience is to find commonality.
This I believe is a beautiful occurrence and motivates me to create new work.

Aside from the show itself, I strive to incorporate all the voices of artists I work with during the creative process while maintaining a safe space of clarity, guidance, and support.

My style of creative process (so far) is to nurture each dancer’s strengths while challenging new paths of artistry through collaboration. In this way, I strive to celebrate the individual while simultaneously creating harmonious group works.

Tikiri, 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?

I don’t ever remember deciding I wanted to be a dancer, but I also haven’t stopped! I’ve danced since I was a little kid and as I continued through auditions, connections, and integrating myself into various dance communities, I am lucky enough to be able to teach, choreograph, and perform dance for a living. I am mostly involved with contemporary and ballet shows, but am obsessed with more styles of dance beyond what I usually do.

I formed my performance company, Sea Legs Dance, in a small coastal town in Delaware in 2013 and we have performed in Seattle, Maryland, Sri Lanka, India, New York City, and Austin, TX. Sea Legs Dance eventually landed in ATX in 2019 finding its true home and welcoming community of dancers.

Currently, I contribute to Austin’s dance scene by primarily choreographing through Sea Legs Dance & managing the dance resource Instagram @austindancehub where I am a total dance nerd and try to share all things dance about our city. I perform often with Ventana Ballet, Red Nightfall Dance Theatre, and Dance Waterloo, and am excited to soon perform with Performa/Dance in 2025. You can find all my dance shenanigans on Instagram @tikiri_shapiro. I love collaborating with musicians and all sorts of mediums so don’t be shy and please always reach out if you have an idea that pairs with dance!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

There is no “right” way to view a dance show (at least not one of mine!). A lot of dance newbies arrive at shows and get worried they are not going to understand the show. I hope to encourage people to release that worry and encourage them to simply stay present and see if they enjoy or feel anything. Whatever you actually experience is correct!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

While I think I knew this early on, knowing something versus believing it is very different. I wish I believed a little earlier that there is no formula to creating a career in the arts and there is even less clarity on the job description. This has been pretty scary sometimes, but also offers a wild amount of creative freedom. I’ve never figured out much with my work until I took a calculated risk and moved forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sealegsdance.com
• Instagram: @tikiri_shapiro
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sealegsdance
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits

Sarah Annie Navarrete