MPWRD Artists Collective

Our Story

Founded on November 19, 2019, What began as a dance collective has since evolved into a multidisciplinary arts space on a journey to address the need for more arts infrastructure in the greater East Bay, providing a platform for creativity, collaboration, and cultural exchange.

Mission

The Collective bridges the gap between African American and Filipino communities in the Bay Area, amplifying BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. Rooted in inclusivity, we provide a safe space for marginalized communities to express, celebrate, and share their stories, fostering connection, creativity, and cultural exchange through the arts.

5 Elements

Our work revolves around creation, culture, education, innovation/storytelling and preservation. We build and imagine the present and future of our communities through these 5 pillars, working with culture bearers, students, peers, and elders to produce spaces that recognize identity, ethnicity, experience, and each persons connection within community.

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Meet The Famiy

Agpalo "Ting" A.J. Alvarez-Maquinta

Artistic Director/Interim Executive 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.

Noelle Campos

Resident Choreographer

Noelle Campos is a mover, creator, and educator who lives in California. She began her dance training at the age of five. Noelle has extensively trained in Ballet, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, Modern, Jazz, Contemporary and Filipino Folk Dance.

Genevie Dela Cruz

Administrative Associate & Resident Choreographer

Genevie Dela Cruz (she/her) is a San Diego-born dance artist, choreographer, and arts administrator who has performed with MPWRD Collective, KULARTS, and various Bay Area choreographers.

Manaka Okazaki

Resident Choreographer

Bulan Benzon

Marketing & Special Projects Manager

Bulan is a queer Tagalog, Okinawan, and Ilokano dancer and digital specialist who believes in the power of movement to build community and support body liberation.