Tariq Darrell O'Meally

Tariq Darrell O'Meally (Ta-reek O Meal-ee) is an artist, producer, curator, and community organizer who seeks the power within introspection and vulnerability within the African-American body. He has pursued the re-imagining of kinesthetic narratives as a means to resist and disrupt canonized stories that have perpetuated the dehumanization of marginalized groups, specifically black people. He seeks to synthesize those stories that will resonate in a way that is socially relevant, empathetic, and impactful.

O’Meally is the creator and lead curator of the BlackLight. Blacklight is a think & move tank that re-envisions dance performance as a conduit to galvanize the social imaginations, resilience, and inventiveness of citizens, thinkers, activists, and artists. BlackLight values creating spaces of care and safety so that developing dance artists can creatively survive in an ever-changing world.

As a curator, Tariq held the position as an Artistic Planning Coordinator at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, programming Dance, Theater, and Artists-In- Residence programming. He has also directed the International Association of Blacks in Dance Annual Conference & Festival in the position of Conference and Festival Producer. Currently, Tariq serves as the Artistic Director of Dance Place DC.

As a choreographer, O'Meally has presented his work at the John F. Kennedy Center, the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival and Smithsonian Arts & Industries Building, By The People Festival, The Clarice Smith 34th & 35th Annual Choreographer's Showcase, Mid-Atlantic North Gala at the American College Dance Association, and the Richmond Dance Festival.

As an educator, O'Meally has been on faculty at George Washington University, American University, Hollins University, the City Dance School & Conservatory Dance Institute of Washington, in addition to presenting as a guest lecturer at Coppin State University, Morgan State University, the National Gallery of Art, The Hirshorn Museum, and the French Embassy. O'Meally is the Founder/Director of the Dimensions Contemporary Dance Festival, a platform to promote, amplify, and spread the various eclectic voices of DMV contemporary dance artists of color.

O’Meally has been chosen as a 2022-2023 Kennedy Center Local Dance Commission Project Awardee, 2022-2024 NDP Advisor, 2021 Rubys Artist Grantee, 2020-2022 Artist-In-Residence at Dance Place, and 2020 Site See Artists-in-Residence. In 2019 & 2021, O’Meally was an Art Omi Resident Artist and a 2018-2019 Halcyon Arts Lab Fellow. He was a 2018-19 Joe’s Movement Emporium NextLOOK Artist and Dance Place’s 2017-18 New Releases Commissioned Artist. He currently holds a BFA in Dance & Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Photo by Farrah Skeiky 

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