History of TYA

Who We Are

The Taratibu Youth Association (TYA), a 501(c) 3, founded in 2007 by Arla Little Victory and Naima Hylton, is a performing arts and education company for youth.  Based in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area and a resident company of Joe’s Movement Emporium, in Mt. Rainier, MD, TYA develops the performing arts skills of young people who in turn present dynamic, uplifting, educational performances in the Washington, DC metro area and across the globe

To date, TYA has reached over 10,000 people through intensive workshops, rites of passage programs, and performances at more than 250 venues—including schools, churches, community centers, youth organizations, embassies, and conferences.

  • A group of dancers performing on stage in colorful costumes with floral and swirl patterns, wearing grass skirts and headbands, in a line with arms raised.

    Founded in 2007

  • Group of children and an adult woman in colorful traditional African clothing, posing together against a blue background.

    2008: First Performance: Atlas Theatre

  • A group of women in black and yellow athletic attire sitting on the floor of a dance studio, listening to an instructor. The studio has wooden floors, a blue accent wall, and mirrors along one side.

    2008: First Audition

  • Group of people arriving at an airport, standing outside the entrance labeled 'Arrival' with landscape murals on the wall behind them.

    2010: Ghana, Togo, Benin

  • A woman and a man playing drums outdoors in a forested area.

    2011: Tanzania

  • Group of women dancing on stage at a festival under a large white tent, with a colorful banner and musical equipment in the background.

    2012: Smithsonian Folklife Festival

  • Group of young women and girls standing on steps outside a stone building, smiling at the camera.

    2013: South Africa

  • Group of women and girls posing outdoors in front of a stone wall, with a grassy area and trees in the background.

    2013: Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa

  • A group of dancers performing on stage with colorful lighting and a purple backdrop.

    2014: The Music Center at Strathmore

  • Group of 16 people, mostly women and girls, standing outdoors on a stone surface, wearing matching yellow T-shirts with black symbols, some wearing hats and sunglasses, under a cloudy sky with a distant view of hills and a railing.

    2015: Haiti & St. Croix

  • A group of nine women and one man standing together at a Taratibu Youth Association event. They are dressed in colorful traditional African attire and are smiling for the photo inside a modern building with glass walls.

    2017: TYA Board Members 10th Anniversary

  • Group of people, mostly women and girls, posing together outdoors in a courtyard with red clay walls and some greenery in the background.

    2017: Senegal

  • Group of young girls in matching traditional costumes performing a dance on stage, with their arms raised above their heads, in an indoor theater. All are wearing blue and orange outfits with matching wrap skirts and headscarves.

    Arena Stage: 2018 Black History Show

  • A group of smiling women and girls gathered together indoors under a decorated canopy with green leaves and colorful paper flowers.

    2019: Brazil

  • Group of young girls in colorful African outfits performing on stage with raised fists.

    2020: Fulani Group's First Performance