WWII Women of Resistance Premieres in Tampa at New Tampa Performing Arts Center

Women of Resistance comes to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on March 25 and 26 with a multidisciplinary performance honoring seven women whose bravery helped the Allies fight Fascism during World War II. Their stories unfold through dance by Sarasota Contemporary Dance, original music by Warren Slim Willams, and visual art by event creator Vicki Chelf, creating a series of short vignettes that illuminate the courage of ordinary individuals who chose to resist extraordinary evil.

The women featured include radio operators, couriers, spies, guerilla fighters, and entertainers who used their talents and access to protect lives and move intelligence across occupied Europe. Their backgrounds were diverse - some world‑famous, others unknown outside their communities - but each saw the rise of Nazism and made the decision to act.

Chelf first encountered their stories in a small French Resistance museum. The impact of that discovery led her to paint their portraits, which eventually grew into a full theatrical collaboration with Sarasota Contemporary Dance. The performance captures the fear, ingenuity, and moral clarity that defined these women’s choices, ending with a celebratory finale honoring their collective strength.

Chelf shares, “Whenever I feel a task is too large or doubt my own ability, I think of our women and I find the courage to move forward.”

Performances are March 25 and 26 at 8 pm at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. Learn more and buy tickets at womenofresistance.org.