Meet Tyra J. Ike-Asogwa and Alicia Nicole Thompson | Founder Co- Artistic Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tyra J. Ike-Asogwa and Alicia Nicole Thompson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyra and Alicia, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

Tyra:

In 2006, I started INNERGY Inc because there was a need in our community; for Black dancers to be seen, heard and represented. During a life changing experience studying dance in New York City at the age of 17, I had my first experience with Black dance teachers, being in a class filled with other Black bodies, and witnessing the power of Black professional dance artists. That experience shifted the trajectory of my life. The following year, in 2006, INNERGY was born! Providing quality dance training, exposure and experiences to Black artists and our community in Alabama and beyond, it is our mission to provide dance to our people. Due to the lack of representation and inclusivity of Black women owned dance companies, we decided to build our own table so that we could foster high quality, authentic and meaningful experiences for our people.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

The mission of INNERGY Inc. also includes strengthening the mind, body and spirit through dance and wellness by curating dance productions and teaching master classes around the world with an emphasis in serving BIPOC communities. We both started our career at the University of Alabama and went on to study, perform and create dance for the worlds most sought after dance companies and organizations. Tyra J. performed with PHILADANCO! And went on to earn her MFA from NYU Tisch Dance, created an original work for the Tuscana Dance Hub in Italy, and produced major productions in the Washington DC Area. Alicia Nicole has definitely mader her mark in the commercial and concert sector as a dancer, educator and choreographer in the Atlanta Dance Community, as well as, NYC and Alabama. Alicia Nicole is a past choreographer for Dance Canvas Performance Series and has recently completed her year as a Dance Fellow with the Alabama State Council of the Arts. She is currently a candidate for the prestigious Katherine Dunham Technique Certification.

As a company, INNERGY has taught, performed and produced works in the U.S., Canada, Haiti and Italy. We celebrate the revolutionary voice of Black women by providing opportunities for us to showcase our work. More recently we have been commissioned to create original works to celebrate the work of Gordon Parks’ Segregation Story and were invited to create work for An Ocean in My Bones; a play about the last slave ship to enter the United States. Our unique experiences are what sets us apart from others. When you attend an INNERGY class or see a show, we give our patrons the full experience. We bring the big city to the south and keep our southern hospitality at the forefront so our community members feel like family. Moreover, before hybrid learning experiences were made popular by the pandemic, INNERGY was already utilizing virtual platforms for rehearsals. We contract dancers from across the U.S. to be a part of our curated events.  Our limited resources helped us to think outside the box.

No, it’s not easy nor has it ever been easy. But, anything worth having takes hard work and dedication. We overcome our challenges by leaning on each other and not giving up. We give ourselves grace. We name our strengths and weaknesses. We celebrate our small victories. We learn from every loss, no and rejection. We take time to rest and regroup so we can get up to keep blazing this path we were set on for the generations to come. We remind ourselves that our community needs us.

The lessons that we’ve learned along the way is that quality work takes time. We’ve learned that everything we need lives inside of us, we just have to access it. And, we’ve learned that we are worthy of everything we desire.

We want the world to know that INNERGY wants to provide the gift of dance and wellness to BIPOC communities in every corner of the world through classes and performances. We want BIPOC dancers to be seen, heard and celebrated. INNERGY is ready for you to book us for an experience that you will carry with you for many years!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Two things you’re going to do when you come to Atlanta, eat well and have a good time.
– Brooklyn Tea – love the vibe, a nice getaway, and you have to try the Biggie cookies.

– Desta Ethiopian Kitchen – The best Ethiopian food in town.

– Local Green – So many good, healthy options on the menu!

– Tassili’s Raw Reality –  The Punany Wrap will have you hooked.

– Candi Reign Poles- by far our favorite pole class for fun, liberation and a good sweat @CandiReignPoles

– Southwest Arts Center – We always had a great production featuring some of Atlanta’s most talented artists!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Our parents! Darren and Gail Jackson; Tyra’s parents have been given the title of executive donors! They have poured and continue to pour so much into INNERGY! Alicia’s parents, Stan Thompson and Alice Chaney, have been to every show we’ve ever produced since undergrad and are always ready to support us in whatever capacity we need!

Our Mobile, AL and Huntsville, AL communities are the heartbeat of our organization! Without them, there is no us!

Mrs. Monique of Dance Theater of Huntsville! She is our Artistic Advisor and is a critical part of the growth of INNERGY Inc.

Our INNERGY Fam, they continue to support us by showing up in ways that keep us going!

Website: https://linktr.ee/innergyinc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innergyinc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/INNERGYInc/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC8PFDLOdXGAg7Zj1WZOXzfw

Other: innergyinc@gmail.com

Image Credits
Kevyn Bryant Cleavon Meabon J&M photography Miguel Herrera