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Who is MPWRD?
Founded on November 19, 2019 MPWRD Artists Collective Initially started off as a dance collective later rebranding in order to accommodate multidisciplinary artists.MPWRD Artists Collective fills a specific niche here in the Bay Area that most arts organizations do not, which is, a space that prioritizes Black, Brown, and LGBTQI+ artists, creating a space in which these communities can create and incubate work without the concern of funding. We not only function as a multidisciplinary arts incubation space but also a space for classes and workshops ranging from dance classes to herbal medicine workshops. Unlike other spaces we are inviting of modernity while also welcoming and centering culture at the very heart of our work with many of our directors actively participating in indigenous/folk inspired art and healer/practitioner work.
Our Goal/Mission
MPWRD Collectives mission is to create a safe, equitable container where artists can incubate and share their work without the concern of time constraints, or monetary limitations, as well as a space in which artists and practitioners can share with and educate the community. As a multi disciplinary space we pride ourselves on cultivating a space in which artists of modern art forms and practitioners of the indigenous/folk arts can share space in a way that is inclusive and warm... One that feels like home. We welcome individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences, but prioritize black, brown, and LGBTQI+ bodies, lives, and art forms.
Administrative Team
Agpalo Alongi Makinta (Ting)
Artistic Director
A Dance Practitioner, Healer, and Artist, Ting uses their art as a form of visual and oral story telling like ancestors before them have done, and instills a holistic and spiritual approach to all forms of dance. With a long history of involvement in the ancestral arts, as well as fine arts, Ting's goal is to create a safe space for all artists and ancestral practitioners.
Ancestral Lineage: Ilokano, Cebuano/Visayan, Mindanaoan, Nigerian, Congolese/Cameroonian, Southern Chinese, Portuguese
Contact: Agpalo.alongi@mpwrdcollective.org
Danielle Galvez
Executive Director
Danielle Galvez (she/they) is a dance artist and tarot card reader weaving together her practices of yoga, dance, and tarot. They founded Archive Dance Collective in 2016, a dance collective that aims to create spaces to express, reflect, and relate. Through her tarot practice, Danielle offers her studies of yoga philosophy and interest in Philippine psychology to promote self study and resilience.
Contact:
Samuel Salazar
Assistant Director
Born and raised in Inglewood, CA, Samuel holds a bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies from The University of California at Berkeley. As the child of immigrant parents from what is now known as Mexico, Samuel explores notions of country and belonging, particularly through the lens of gender, sexuality, spirituality, class, and race. Drawing from voices of the past and present, Samuel grounds their work by speaking to and advocating for the child in all of us.
Ancestral Lineage: Veracruz, Mexico
Contact:
Noelle Campos
Marketing, Outreach, & Special Projects Manager
Noelle Campos is a mover, creator, and educator, versatile in all genres of dance. She began her Ballet training at the tender age of five, and eventually picked up Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, Musical Theatre, Modern, and Contemporary as the years went by. She attended San Jose State University as a dance major, and has been working as a professional dancer and dance instructor ever since. Noelle aspires to inspire future generations to move their bodies and decolonize their minds
Ancestral Lineage: Filipino
Contact:
Joslynn Mathis-Reed
Performance Company Director
Joslynn Mathis Reed hails from Detroit Michigan. Her lifelong passion for dance has taken her on a journey that includes performing with Aretha Franklin as a teenager, studying West African dance in Ghana as an undergraduate, and continuing to teach dance to a wide range of students over the years, in addition to leading workshops and intensives. Joslynn holds a B.A. in Dance/Theater Arts from California State University, East Bay and an MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Mills College in Oakland, CA. Joslynn has trained in Dunham, Horton and Graham Techniques.
Ancestral Lineage: African American
Contact:
Meet Our Kapwa
Katana Pop
Resident Artist(Dance Instructor & Performer)
Katana is a Chicago born dance performance artist, battle dancer, choreographer, and teacher now residing in the Bay Area, CA. She has trained in all different styles of dance in her career, but has mainly focused and is rooted in popping and Egyptian bang style tuts. Since moving to the Bay Area, Katana is also training in/influenced by Turf dancing and culture. Katana has been traveling and competing in battles all across the country for about 9 years, and she wishes to continue her journey internationally.