Letitia “Tish” Hays has dedicated her entire life to the study and performance of dance. After attending a performing arts high school, Hays graduated from FIU in 2003 with a Bachelor’s Degree in dance ethnography, and from American University in 2005 with a Master’s Degree in dance, choreography and performance as well as a certificate in arts management.
During her time at American University, Hays completed an internship with CityDance, Inc., and has stayed with the organization ever since. For the last eleven years, Hays has acted as the Director of Operations for CityDance, Inc. in DC, an organization dedicated to advancing the art of professional dance performance and education by reaching out to the community, into the studio and onto the professional stage. She traveled with the professional company under the auspices of Department of State as Tour Manager for the 2009 Middle East, 2009 South America, and 2010 Eastern Europe Cultural Diplomacy Tours.
Along with traveling and performing, Hays considers her most rewarding experience working with the Inside Out: Art for Incarcerated Women program at the Dade Correctional Institution – an opportunity provided to her through the FIU Dance Program. She has also acted as project manager at CityDance, most recently for the completion of a new studio at the Academy of the Holy Cross, which will help provide even more young dancers with high quality dance training. Hays is a consultant on concert production, studio and theater build-outs, and digital media. Hays was honored as the 2012 Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women for excellence and dedication in the arts, and was recently invited to join the International Dance Council (Counseil International de la Danse) in Paris.
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