'When someone shows you who they aren't BELIEVE them' - Tina Thompson
'When someone shows you who the are believe them'- Maya Angelou
You may Forget what you got but remember where you got it- Fred Astaire
I am a builder of people, programs, and communities. My life’s work has been dedicated to creating educational spaces that honor culture, expand possibility, and strengthen civic responsibility. As a leader who moves fluidly between the arts, legal strategy, community advocacy, and organizational development, I bring a holistic approach to education and civic alliances—one rooted in lived experience, disciplined practice, and a deep commitment to collective uplift. Throughout my career, I have designed and led programs that merge creativity, wellness, legal literacy, and cultural identity. Whether through SKIN Dance Theatre, the RISE Arts Initiative, or my community‑based advocacy in Camden, I have consistently created environments where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow. I believe education must be transformational, not transactional, and I build systems that reflect that belief.
My work in civic engagement is grounded in direct action and relationship‑building. I have mapped community resources, collaborated with faith leaders, advocated for safer infrastructure, and drafted formal documentation to address systemic issues affecting residents. I understand how to translate community needs into policy‑aligned strategies, and I know how to build alliances that honor both institutional goals and grassroots realities. Operationally, I bring structure, clarity, and accountability. I develop workflows, inventories, waivers, budgets, and compensation models that support sustainable programming. I lead teams with both compassion and precision, ensuring that creativity and discipline coexist in service of a shared mission. What drives me is the belief that education and civic engagement are inseparable. When people are informed, connected, and culturally grounded, they become powerful contributors to their communities.
MISSION
The SKIN Dance Company, also known as The Tina Thompson Dance Company, is a vibrant and innovative force in the world of dance, based in New York. Under the artistic direction of Tina Thompson-Pope, the company has established itself as a platform for artistic expression and personal growth through the language of theatre and movement arts1. The company’s mission is to provide opportunities and challenges that foster artistic value and self-expression. They aim to cultivate well-rounded individuals who can make meaningful contributions to society. This is achieved through a blend of discipline, artistic exploration, and personal development1. Tina Thompson-Pope, with over two decades of experience in dance and fitness, has developed her own technique called the “Spirit Technique,” which celebrates the uniqueness of dance and pays homage to its ancestry1. The company’s performances, such as Josephine’s Cotton: The Revue, have been programmatic highlights, showcasing their ability to create mesmerizing art that connects with audiences1. The SKIN Dance Company also serves as an arts outreach, facilitating arts programming that prioritizes youth. It is a student-centered community that supports young voices, ideas, and interests, providing a nurturing environment for the next generation of artists.
Tina Thompson is an Executive Producer, Artistic Director, Choreographer, Writer, and Performing Arts Educator whose work spans over two decades of creative leadership. A distinguished teaching artist with Learning Through Excellence Programming (LEAP), she is the recipient of multiple arts council awards and fellowships, including the prestigious Carmen De Lavallade Artistic Fellowship (2008). Her training includes full scholarships and professional studies at leading institutions of dance—Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Juilliard—and she is an alumna of Long Island University, where she earned an arts scholarship in Dance Leadership. Thompson’s choreography has been commissioned by artists and companies locally and internationally, and her teaching practice extends throughout the Tri‑State Area through workshops, residencies, and fitness events. A respected figure in the competitive fitness world for over a decade, she holds numerous national and world titles and has served as a Ms. Fitness USA Ambassador. As Founder and Artistic Director of SKIN Dance Company, based in Staten Island, her works have been presented at venues including Porch Plays, Snug Harbor Cultural Arts Center, Blumenthal Arts Center, Ailey CitiGroup Theater, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Symphony Space, Sheen Arts Center, City College Performing Arts Center, Staten Island Museum, and the St. George Theatre.
Mission and Vision: SKIN aims to provide opportunities, challenges, and infrastructures for personal growth to its artists, students, community, and future generations. Their mission is to foster artistic value and self-expression through the language of theatre and movement arts. International and Cultural exchange in the Arts is our purpose.
Founder/ Executive Artistic Director, Tina Thompson
SKIN DANCE COMPANY/ SKIN PRODUCTIONS/ SKIN Arts Initiative
Administration Team:
Company Managing Associate Director/ Creative Associate - Josef Woodson
Production/Tour Manager- Lance Pope
Curation/Photography/ Media- Andrew Williams & Tina Thompson
Facilitation Management: Tina Thompson Arts & Education Directors: Tina Thompson/ Josef Woodson/ Jessica Morales
Teaching Artists: Kennedy Kandi, Jessica Morales
Costume Design: Jessica Morales/ Tina Thompson
SKIN Dance Company, also known as The Tina Thompson Dance Company, is an innovative and creative force in the world of dance. Based in New York, this company thrives on blending distinctive forms of dance with energetic personalities, propelling the art to new horizons.
Through a harmonious blend of discipline, artistic exploration, and personal development, the SKIN Dance Company Dance & Performing Arts Initiative transcends traditional boundaries, cultivating well-rounded individuals poised to make meaningful contributions to society3. Artistic Director: Tina Thompson, the founder and executive director, brings over two decades of experience in dance and fitness to the forefront. Her unique blend of expertise and passion drives the company’s vision1. Tina Thompson has even carved her own technique called the “Spirit Technique”, paying homage to the ancestry of dance and celebrating its uniqueness.
Performances and Legacy: Josephine’s Cotton: The Revue was a programmatic highlight in 2022 at the Staten Island Museum. The performance sold out during a time when in-person programming was still uncertain. It was moving, entertaining, inspiring, and powerful1. Evolution Project reflects shared emotions, joy, fear, insecurity, anxiety, vulnerability, and strength. Standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, it inspires hope and designs greater destinies for generations to come.
Dancers, as captivating artists, use their bodies as instruments to create mesmerizing art. Their movements, expressions, and connection to music evoke emotions and tell stories. Whether it’s the grace of ballet, the rhythm of hip-hop, or the passion of contemporary dance, dancers bring their unique styles to life on stage and in our hearts1. 🩰🎶🕺
SKIN DANCE company is vehicle for artistic value and self-expression through the language of movement arts. Tina Thompson seeks to provide the opportunities, challenges, infrastructures for personal growth to its artists, students, community and future generations to come. Tina Thompson believes dance is a universal language by storytelling through movement. Her vision is to touch the audience members physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Having choreographed over 22 Modern-Ballet works/ Thompson's choreography touches matters of the emotions and the state of the world. At SKIN Dance Company we believe the arts help young people to develop the skills they need to be successful in the 21st century, yet many communities suffer from a lack of arts access. Many communities and NYC schools have limited arts programming Underrepresented populations are not afforded the same opportunities to develop skills through programs in the arts.
Here at SKIN and Staten Island Contemporary Arts we serve as an arts outreach and facilitate arts programming that prioritizes youth. - We are a student-centered community of dancers, performing artists and educators that support youth voices, ideas, and interests. Group Networking- We know that when collaborating, solving problems, learning from and with their peers, young people are more engaged in their own learning. Achieve Goals - We provide structure and support for our students to carry out their own plans and support young people in overcoming hurdles and building their resilience. Foster Safe Space - We understand that to create authentically, we must feel free to experiment, explore, and make mistakes. Support Diversity and Culture - We share the responsibility of supporting each student by building relationships and connections to the communities we serve. The SKIN Dance instructional model is focused on excellence in high-quality educational arts programs with intentional strategies to foster this change.
Tina Thompson is an Executive Producer, Artistic Director, Choreographer, Writer, Performing Arts Educator and theater arts teaching artist for Learning through excellence programming (LEAP). She has won numerous arts council awards for choreography and fellowships in Dance. She is the recipient of the Carmen De Lavallade artistic fellowship award in 2008. Her background includes full scholarships/ professional training and performance experience at all four institutions of Dance; Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Juilliard and alumni of the Long Island University where she also received an arts scholarship in Dance Leadership. She helps spread her knowledge by teaching dance workshops and fitness events throughout the Tri-State Area. Her Choreography has been set on music artists and dancers locally and internationally. She has been a leader in the Competitive Fitness world for over a decade. She has numerous titles in World/ National Fitness and physique competitions. She has been a MS. FITNESS USA ambassador for the United States. Tina Thompson has been an educator, mentor and arts facilitator for over 20 years. Skin Dance company is based in Staten Island, New York City and Thompson's works have graced the stage of 'Porch Plays' Snug Harbor Cultural Arts Center, Blumenthal Arts Center, Ailey Citi-Group Theater, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Symphony Space, Sheen Arts Center, City College Performing Arts Center and Staten Island Museum.
Tina Thompson is an Executive Producer, Artistic Director, Choreographer, Writer, Performing Arts Educator and respected fitness professional in New York City. She has won numerous arts council awards for choreography and fellowships in Dance. Her background includes full scholarships/ professional training and performance experience at all four institutions of Dance; Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Juilliard and alumni of the Long Island University where she also received an arts scholarship in Dance Leadership. She helps spread her knowledge by teaching dance workshops and fitness events throughout the Tri-State Area. Her Choreography has been set on music artists and dancers locally and internationally.
She has been a leader in the Competitive Fitness world for over a decade. She has numerous titles in World/ National Fitness and physique competitions. She has been a MS. FITNESS USA ambassador for the United States. She has been the fitness coordinator for many private and commercial health facilities in NYC. Tina Thompson is currently working in arts education and producing pilots entitled UNDANCED & Beauty in The Spirit Podcast. For Tina Thompson, it’s about removing the barriers that have been blocks in your life in order to move forward. One of her favorite's quotes are: “Pain is the reaction of the body, as long as you have the body, some pain is inevitable. Suffering is the contraction of the mind, and unlike pain, is optional. Don't add suffering to pain". Excellence is her bar so people setting obstacles for this woman of color is nothing new. Tina Thompson has been an educator, mentor and arts facilitator for over 20 years.
***Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. Mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and professional growth of a mentee.
Tina Thompson-Pope- CEO, Founder/ Executive Artistic Director
SKIN DANCE COMPANY/ SKIN PRODUCTIONS/ SKIN Arts Initiative
Founder/ Executive Artistic Director's Administration Team
Company Managing Associate Director - Josef Woodson
Production/Tour Manager- Lance Pope
Photography/ Media- Andrew Williams
Facilitation Management: Tina Thompson
Arts & Education Directors: Tina Thompson/ Josef Woodson/ Jessica Morales
Teaching Artists: Kennedy Kandi, Patrick Pride, Jessica Morales
Costume Design: Jessica Morales/ Tina Thompson
Competition History
2002 MS. FIGURE EMPIRE STATE Champion
2002 Ms. Fitness legacy, 1st runner-up
2003 Ms. Fitness USA, 11th Place
2004 Ms. Fitness USA, 8th Place
2004 Ms. Fitness New Jersey, 3rd Place
2004 OCB Ms. Fitness Iron City, 3rd place
2004 OCB Iron City- women's figure classic, 4th Place
2004 Fitness America NY Regional, 4th place
2004 Ms. Fitness North Eastern Regional, 3rd place
2005 Ms. Fitness USA, 6th Place
2005 Ms. Fitness Virginia- Fitness Champion
2005 Ms. Fitness Legacy, 2nd place
2006 Ms. Fitness USA, 1st runner-up
2006 Ms. Fitness World, 3rd place
2006 IFF Fitness Woman World, Fitness Ambassador/ Romania
2006 Sansha Ambassador
2007 Ms. Fitness USA, 4th place
2008 Ms. Fitness Legacy, 4th place
2008 NPC Brooklyn Grand Prix, Fitness Champion
2008 NPC Eastern Fitness, 4th place
2009 Ms. Fitness USA, 9th place
Fitness is life! So when you do your best; you breathe, you achieve, and you grow more passionate.
Never leave YOU at home! Compete with yourself.
HUNTER College Campus Schools Initiative 2016-2018
Alana Yulis
Jordan Whitner
Layla Barnett
Ria Shivam
Ellie Chen
Maria Calvario
Georgiana Harris
Lauren Roberts
Alexandra Stillman
