NYC · Tampa Bay · Est. 2025
Live arts that explode expectation.
Immersive. Fearless. Unforgettable.
About Us
Meld. Disrupt.
Create the Unforgettable.
Named after the elusive yet ferocious Florida panther, Ghost Cat is a NYC/Tampa-based non-profit live arts company. We unite artists, technologists, and storytellers to produce work that explodes audience expectations, and elevates discourse, amplifying Tampa’s cultural scene with next-level experiences.
Our Work
Where Danger
Meets Decadence.
Rooted in world building, Ghost Cat delivers experiential storytelling that evokes mystery, ritual, heat, and intimacy.
Every entrance is an invitation. Every glimpse of beauty is vulnerable. It’s sensual, it’s alive, it’s Florida Gothic. You may not fully understand. But if invited, accept. And we’ll show you the deep end.
Our Team
Wild Minds. Sharp Claws.
The Creative Force Behind Ghost Cat
Christina Acosta
Christina Acosta is a Tampa-based dancer, choreographer, educator, and arts leader with over 25 years in the field. She holds degrees from Brenau University (Dance Performance & Arts Administration) and Columbia University’s Teachers College (Dance Education). While living in NYC, she trained with legends including Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, and Douglas Dunn. Currently a Professor of Dance at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Christina’s creative work spans multimedia and interdisciplinary collaboration — always aimed at going against the grain. Her work fosters community, inclusivity, and diversity, and her teaching has shaped generations of Tampa artists.
Amanda Szeglowski
New York City–based writer, director, choreographer and performing artist. As Founder and Artistic Director of cakeface, she was awarded “Outstanding Production” by the Bessies New York Dance & Performance Awards (2020) for her work, this is now, and now, and now. One of six artists selected for the inaugural Baryshnikov Arts Center Open Residency (2022). Recipient of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation’s Women Playwrights Commissioning program and HERE Resident Artist (2014–17). Amanda launched cakeface, her all-women company, in 2008 — described by CULTUREBOT as “a group of fierce, funny, talented women.” Her production Stairway to Stardom was deemed “vastly entertaining and ridiculously clever” and received 4 stars and a critics’ pick by Time Out New York. She has taught master classes at the University of Maryland, University of Tampa, Hillsborough Community College, and Blake School for the Arts. An alumna of the University of South Florida, graduating summa cum laude in Dance with a minor in Business Administration.
Tampa Bay–based real estate professional with a background in marketing and advertising and a strong commitment to community impact. As both a Realtor and real estate investor, he brings strategic thinking, creativity, and a values-driven approach across residential development and client advocacy. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Tampa, he has deep ties to the region and is passionate about supporting organizations that strengthen neighborhoods and create lasting positive change.
Emmy Award–winning marketer, strategist, and creative operator based in Tampa, Florida. She has led marketing and growth initiatives across B2B SaaS, professional services, and arts organizations, building scalable systems that turn vision into execution. Before her corporate career, Maria was rooted in dance and performance, founding and collaborating with arts collectives and dance companies in San Diego and Tampa — earning recognition in the San Diego Foundation’s inaugural Creative Catalyst Grant class. mariajuan.com
Florida native and USF graduate (B.A. Mass Communications, honors). A former USF Sundoll captain and four-season Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader, including Super Bowl XXXVII, she built her career in global event leadership with World Triathlon Corporation (Ironman), rising to Director of Event Services. She later served as Director of Client Relations and Communications in the dental benefits industry. Nationally certified in Pilates since 2020, Jennette specializes in both contemporary and classical methods.
CPA and executive leader dedicated to Tampa’s entrepreneurial and cultural growth. As CFO for The Spiral Staircase and owner of Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids South Tampa, she bridges financial rigor with community-focused leadership. A Cum Laude USF graduate, her career spans Big Four auditing to senior leadership in agile start-ups. Shiloh’s commitment to the arts began at age three, was refined at Blake High School for the Arts under Christina Acosta — dancing alongside Amanda Szeglowski — and now reunites with these visionary leaders to anchor Ghost Cat with the fiscal discipline needed to bring Gaspar’s Lair to life.
Community Manager at Coca-Cola Beverages Florida with nearly a decade in nonprofit communications, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement. Previously Development Manager at Pace Center for Girls and Interim Executive Director at the Urban League of Hillsborough County. Master’s in communication and B.A. in public relations from Illinois State University. Leadership Tampa Bay, Class of 2026.
Support the Work
Help Us Build
Something Fearless
Ghost Cat is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your support fuels artists, technologists, and storytellers as we establish Tampa Bay as a national hub for creative innovation.
Donate Now
Productions
Gaspar’s
Lair
Dive into the legend of José Gaspar — Florida’s mythic pirate king — in an immersive, multi-room theatrical experience that dissolves the line between audience and story. Secrets buried in smoke and salt air, waiting to be unearthed.
Enter If Ye Dare
The Lab
Before Fangs,
A Heartbeat.
The Lab is where we listen for it. A one-night pop-up, a rehearsal-room experiment, a research rabbit hole nobody asked us to chase. Educational occurrences. These are the sparks that lead to fire.
Some experiments become full productions. Others stay feral. All of them sharpen the claws.
Reach out to schedule something unique for your space or join our mailing list to be in the know for upcoming events.
Stay Connected
Join the Circle
Be the first to hear about upcoming productions, events, and ways to get involved. Ghost Cat doesn’t do ordinary — and neither does our newsletter.