This year’s showcase will present artists from different countries of origin and varying approaches to contemporary dance such as tango/physical theatre, aerial dance, dance and technology, etc. Artists from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Chile and Mexico will be part of this season. We will present five talented artists/companies:
Diana Lopez, originally from Mexico, will present two pieces: Grandmother Spider is an aerial dance performance using a dream catcher excerpt from the full-scale performance DreAmCatcher (2011), which was inspired by Navajo and Hopi legends of Grandmother Spider (the weaver of the web of life). Rosy Roslin is a look at this century’s experimentation on sheep cloning and the usage of human genes to create new breads of sheep.
Sebastian Mena, born in Victoria, BC, will present Si Vas Para Chile, three excerpts from a fresh, new exploration of what it means to be of Chilean descend. The spirit of the Chilean Andes, the duality of Sebastian’s Chilean culture versus his Canadian reality, and a homage to the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda are part of the themes he explores.
Carlos Rivera, originally from Mexico and of Mixteco Indigenous descent, will present three excerpts of his new and acclaimed Canadian premiere dance work, I’m Not The Indian You Have In Mind. He recently presented his full length piece as part of NextSteps.
Sur Theatre, a Canadian-Argentinian company, was founded in 1993 by Latin American artists. Currently, under artistic director Lisandro Gomez, Sur Theatre has developed its own signature that merges the tango dance form with theatrical expression. With La Pareja, Sur Theatre will take the audience into a journey of relationships and through the world of dark tango.
Olga Barrios, originally from Colombia, will present a high energy and dynamic piece, juxtaposing salsa music with the issue of objectifying of women. A piece acclaimed during Dance Ontario Dance Weekend in January 2012.
Vanguardia Dance Projects is a Canadian-Latin American collective founded in 2010 by Norma Araiza and Olga Barrios with the purpose of promoting contemporary dance.
Vanguardia is interested in the dissemination of contemporary artistic practices of dance artists with Latin American and Indigenous backgrounds in Canada, maintaining conversation with the rest of the country and the world. Vanguardia Dance Projects supports innovative artists that push the boundaries of contemporary dance and reflect a permanent search of expression through different languages.
