Leyya Tawil, Artist-in-Residence

Photo by Liz Payne

Leyya Tawil is the Artistic Director of Leyya Tawil's Dance Elixir.  Born in Detroit, Michigan, Leyya enjoys exploring aspects of contemporary urban culture through her collaborative projects.  Her San Francisco-based Dance Elixir produces an annual home season and maintains a national touring schedule. Tawil's work has been presented internationally in Beirut, Lebanon during her artist residency at MT Space and in Montreal, Quebec at Studio 303.  Within the U.S., Dance Elixir has been presented by regional organizations: West Wave Dance Festival, Women on the Way Residency and Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Oakland Art Gallery, and Dance Mission Theater; and national presenters, including Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Arab American National Museum's Ford Comerica Performance Series (MI), Bohemian National Home (MI), Arts at Middlebury (VT), Alwan for the Arts (NYC) and Dance New Amsterdam (NYC).

Before joining Middlebury College as Artist in Residence, Leyya held faculty positions at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Visiting Artist), the University of San Francisco, Sonoma State University, Dance Mission Theater/School (SF), and ODC Dance Commons (SF). She has also guest taught at Mills College, Lebanese University and other professional institutions.  Her work has been featured on Future TV (Beirut), WDET's "Morning Edition" (MI), NBC11 (CA), KRON4 (CA), KNOE-TV8 (LA), and KALX's "Women in the Arts" (CA).

In the bay area, Leyya co-directs of the Temescal Arts Center, a low-cost performance and rehearsal space for Oakland artists. She served on the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards Committee ("the Izzies") from 2003-2006. Leyya received degrees in dance from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (BDA 1997) and Mills College-Oakland (MFA 2003).