
El-la / Buyit / Energy
El-la
The dramatic performance El-la expresses the longing to share a feeling that is both personal and universal – at a time when the world is being shaken by the continuing pandemic, by crises and uncertainties. According to C.G. Jung, bodies are in search of their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance.
Inspired by this, Yansi Méndez examines her personal story in this autobiographical work. Born with a physical disability, in her early years she could barely walk and relied on orthopaedic aids. Today she has unrestricted movement and became a dancer despite her medical prognosis.
In El-la Yansi Méndez uses her old orthopaedic walking aids as a symbol of individual physicality, vulnerability and strong willpower. Her piece shows that even the loss of inner and outer balance can be a part of our existence. El-la is a declaration of love of the vulnerable body in all its facets.
Credits:
Choreography and Performance: Yansi Méndez Bautista
Buyit
In Buyit, Adrián Arriaga Madrigal invites the public to be a spectator of a deconstruction game. He seeks to explore pathways in memories, analyses the behaviours that he identifies in them that are incorporated in the subconscious, and then plays with re-interpreting them through the body and the image. The dancer walks in slow motion along a pathway of the ego and questions the social construct - desires and illusions of which we are not aware. How often are they placed by mechanisms carefully calculated by the market? Through this ritual of exploration, he advances towards catharsis to free himself with the thought “I think I am the centre of the universe, everything revolves around me, I am my world” being the focus of attention. In this we see the artist in a duel, in a loop of physical and mental patterns.
Credits:
Choreography and Interpretation: Adrián Arriaga
Music: Paulo Vargas
Energy
"I was inspired to create this dance project, which I see as a plea for commitment and determination in the face of life's trials, by a situation in which I was faced with having to choose between studying nursing or being a dancer.
This challenge was associated with numerous irritations and agonising moments. I would therefore like to share in my work the determination and motivation that helped me to believe in my choice and not to give up. In the face of an important decision, one needs a special strength to think positively and always be ready to start again.
My body grammar is a mixture of contemporary dance, hip-hop and basics of African dance. On stage, a metal stepladder and a skipping rope help me materialise and defamiliarize my thoughts. Incorporating the stepladder creates forms and movements that allow me to pour my emotions and intentions related to the theme of energy into an artistic process. Physical and internal energy bring space, material and time into harmony."
This performance involves high volume.
Credits:
Choreography and Performance: Agathe Djokam Tamo