“Kuzia has continued, throughout the years to
She has also managed to attract professional
dancers and teachers like Ashley
Appel, who has been working with Kuzia
for more than 10 years. In addition to
teaching at the studio, Appel is a fulltime
schoolteacher in Orinda. She lives
in Oakland, and for the last decade, she’s
been driving down to the San Jose studio
to teach dance about three times a week,
and sometimes for the whole weekend.
“There are a lot of studios that are
much closer to me, but I choose to be a
part of this studio because I just really appreciate
the vision that Tawnya has, and
the kind of community that she fosters
with her dancers,” says Appel. “This studio
wants to create artists. The desire to
support young dancers and inspire them
to think about their artistry is just one of
the things we have in common. “
Appel also considers Kuzia as talented
beyond her years. “What I tell her dancers
all the time is how lucky we are to have
a studio owner who is as dedicated, but
also is as artistically talented as Tawnya. I
think her voice as an artist is very special,
and sometimes, she has this point of view
that’s very different from others.”
Beyond Kuzia’s artistic talent, Appel
points to her sharp sense of humor, passion
and generosity.
“She’s very funny,” says Appel. “She’s
very passionate about what she does, and
she’s a giver. She’s a very thoughtful and
generous friend. I think a lot of people
see that quality in her as well.”
FAMILY LIFE
When Kuzia is not dancing, teaching, choreographing
and winning awards, she’s
spending time with Jason, who she met
while attending Valley Christian High
School, and their two kids, seven-year-old
Zara and five-year-old Rocco.
“Zara dances as well,” says Kuzia. “We
tell her all the time, ‘You don’t have to do
this just because Mommy does it. If you
want to try anything else, we are up for
that.’ And she says, ‘No, I want to do it!’ ”
“Rocco has absolutely no desire to
dance. He just wants to play outside, and
he’s really into the drums, probably because
my husband and my brother play drums.”
Kuzia also spends some of her free
time with extended family members in
the area, of which there are many, including
her parents, grandparents, brother,
cousins and in-laws.
“Everybody’s here,” she says.
DANCING INTO THE FUTURE
Kuzia’s next challenge, at press time, was
an invitation to do some choreography
for “So You Think You Can Dance,”
another dance competition TV show
that airs on the Fox network. Although
she would be choreographing for the
show’s top 20 dancers, she plans to bring
some of the dancers from her studio to
demonstrate the work she would present,
because she knew their abilities and
because she looks for any opportunity
to show her students what’s possible in
professional dance.
“My goal is to give dancers opportunities,
and expose them to the dance world,”
she explains. “And it takes that kind of
exposure to make their dreams happen.” n
72 South Bay Accent
show her work at a variety of events, including a
gig at the NAACP awards where she choreographed
for singer and actress Vanessa Williams and for
Sheryl Lee Ralph, the original Deena Jones in
Broadway’s “Dreamgirls.””
Tanya Kuzia and her son Rocco.
NDC’s junior dance company prep
to perform on “World of Dance.”
COURTESY OF TANYA KUZIA; CHRIS AYERS