Violeta Galagarza
V ioleta Galagarza is an award-winning choreographer and founder of Keep Rising To The Top (KR3Ts); a dance company that has been launching the careers of top-performing dance professionals for more than 30 years in East Harlem.
Acclaimed for her ability to seamlessly integrate traditional dances with hip-hop and other street dance styles has made her a force in the industry. Recently, Violeta and KR3TS dancers performed dance scenes in Lin Manuel’s “In The Heights”movie. She has created work for top artists like Aventura, Prince Royce, Jill Scott, Joe, Omarion, Millie Quezada, Jim Jones, Shenseea, TKA, Coro, Lissette Melendez, El General.
In 2012, Violeta won a Latin Grammy Award for “Best Choreography Flash Mob” (Verizon FiOS), a 2012 Bessie Award for “Special Achievement in Dance,” was one of seven women honored with a 2012 MamásLatinas Award.
Through KR3Ts, Violeta has trained more than 5000 students in hip-hop, mambo, African, Latin, house, hustle, ballet, bachata, and many other styles of dance. The artistic development students receive through KR3Ts has catapulted many careers as professional choreographers and dancers. KR3Ts alumni have performed on world tours with artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna,Chris Brown, Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, Usher, Kanye West, Kelly Rowland, Missy Elliot, Lady Gaga, Jason Derulo, Azalea Banks, Cardi B, 50cents, and Arianna Grande.
Through dance, KR3Ts transform lives and uplift the community. KR3Ts serves as a positive alternative for youth to express themselves and navigate life instead of succumbing to street pressures and other negative influences. Dancers learn the importance of giving back to our world. KR3Ts has fundraised $12,000 for Puerto Rican relief efforts from Hurricane Maria and distributed portable battery operated airbeds, shared care packages to homeless NYC youth, and provided food and clothing for seniors during the pandemic.
Her unwavering commitment to dance and community empowerment has earned Galagarza award recognitions from former New York State Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, a “Commendation Award” from former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, New York Congressman Charles B. Rangel and many more.
Using motion sensor technology, Violeta choreographed all of the nightclub dance scenes in Grand Theft Auto 3 (GTA) San Andreas. San Andreas became the best-selling PlayStation 2 game of all time. Rockstar Games valued Violeta’s choreography so much, they decided to include her, and her dancers, into the storyline of Grand Theft Auto IV Liberty City. In the game chapter titled “Manny Escuela Mission,” Violeta was the “South Bowen” community dance school instructor.
Violeta has been featured in Reader’s Digest, NY Daily News, NY Post, Latina Magazine, Time Out NY, the Iraq Daily Times, We B*Girlz (a book by Martha Cooper and Nika Kramer), and PIX11 News. Her story of hard work, dedication and resilience earned her NY1’s “New Yorker of the Week,” FOX 5 News’ “Hero of the Day,” CBS-2’s “Notable New Yorker of the Week,” a segment on TLC’s “Cover Shot” which showcased her on a billboard in Times Square and featured on renowned Latin American talk show “Christina.”
Violeta was a teacher at the Joffrey Ballet School and many other prestigious dance schools. She is internationally sought after to teach dance around the world. She has held dance workshops in Switzerland, Paris, Chile, and several cities in France. Inversely, her unique dance style has drawn people from all over the world to visit KR3T’s to become a part of the magic.
Violeta started her professional dance career as a young dancer at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
