AUSTIN, Texas — The Tapestry Dance Company in Austin is grappling with the profound impact of funding cancellations from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), as organizations across the U.S. find themselves in similar situations.
Last month, the company saw its $30,000 NEA grant withdrawn, forcing it to cancel the Annual Soul to Sole International Tap Festival, a celebrated event it has hosted for 25 years.
“This year, we were all set up for that 25th when the NEA sent that email to so many artists and organizations around the world,” said Acia Gray, co-founder and executive artistic director of the company.
“I honestly thought it was spam, and then the next morning, the New York Times covered it,” Gray added.
The festival is typically a week-long celebration filled with discussions about the state of the arts, art history classes, film screenings, and performances that showcase tap dance talent from around the globe.
The cancellation notice came just a month prior to the scheduled festival, which relied heavily on the NEA funds that the company had received for almost two decades.
Tapestry Dance Company was founded in 1989 by Gray and Deirdre Strand, combining elements of concert dance, music, and theater.
In the mid-1990s, the company evolved into a professional ensemble, attracting dancers from various countries, including Australia, Mexico, Canada, and the UK.
Over the years, the company has delivered numerous performances, with 65 full-length concerts taking place at renowned venues such as the Paramount Theater and The Long Center in Austin.
From 2008 to 2011, the company toured the U.S. and even performed in China for five weeks with their acclaimed show, “The Souls of Our Feet: A Celebration of American Tap Dance,” featured as an NEA masterpiece program.
Gray reflected on that period, stating, “That was when most of the world, and locally, saw it as a tap dance company.”
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, leading to the heartbreaking decision for Gray to lay off all the dancers in 2020.
“COVID really, really hit us hard,” she shared, emphasizing the emotional weight of such decisions.
Despite the difficulties, the Tapestry Dance Company has continued to offer tap and other dance classes to children and adults in the Austin area since the pandemic.
Gray remains undeterred, expressing her commitment to fostering community and connection through dance.
“When you think of dance, it’s community, you know? That’s why we have tap jams. It’s community,” she remarked.
Having been a musician and dancer for most of her life, Gray found her passion for tap dance later on, but it profoundly transformed her experience as an artist.
“I feel like I can express myself through rhythm and body,” she noted.
Her belief in the transformative power of dance is strong: “Wherever we are in our life is what people are going to see on stage, or feel and witness on stage.
What we’re thinking is what everybody’s feeling. So, honestly, I feel like dance can change the world.”
As the future of funding remains uncertain, Gray is determined to keep the spirit of dance alive within the community.
In a creative pivot, the company held a Tap Jam on the day the festival was originally set to commence, which featured musicians and dancers in a two-hour celebration of rhythm.
Additionally, a silent auction took place to raise funds for future endeavors.
Gray shared that the company submitted its application for next year’s NEA grant back in February but has yet to receive a response.
She remains hopeful that, if funded, the Tapestry Dance Company can stage a performance at the Long Center come December, reminiscent of their pre-COVID days.
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