Works in progress
In October 2013 I started collaborating with dancer and choreographer Michelle Ramos, resident of Pittsburgh since 2011, and Mexican as myself. Our mindsets and goals connected in such a way that we decided to work together to present a dance concert in 2014.
We're working on two pieces: Loon, and =1
We're working on two pieces: Loon, and =1
Loon - Directed by Maira Duarte
Loon takes its name from aquatic bird and its song -- which will be used in the piece-- and from loon as in fool, lunatic. The word lunatic itself, is related to Luna - the moon, which is often believed to induce insane states on people.
The piece is based on Michel Foucault’s Madness and Civilization, which confirms a series of connotations of mad people regarded as the ones closer to truth and happiness, and the way reclusion and exclusion of the insane takes place. The dancers will wear knee-length rectangular t-shirts (with a printed design similar to the plumage of the loon), big white wigs, and Tim Burton’s character inspired make up. There is a play with water -- transferring it from glasses, pitchers, and buckets. Foucault explains that water "penetrated the channels and fibers of the human body and made it loose its firmness, predisposed it to madness”. There is also a movement investigation on the animality of madness, and how the insane in confinement, being forced to return to certain aspects of animal behavior, finally encounters freedom. 
This piece bears my ongoing investigation on movement qualities as well as scenarios in which opposite elements of the human experience are reflected. In this case, water represents the softness and malleability of the human spirit, an inspiration for the training of the mind to accept the constant change, to free oneself from bondage. But water is also a great force that may pierce trough rock and dissolve radically the most stable or firm structures humans have established. Once the structures of the mind have been destroyed, the insane is either at the verge of enlightenment or at the mercy of her most basic instincts.
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=1 - Directed by Michelle Ramos
In mathematics, the movement of specific combinations of letters, numbers and symbols can bring about a harmonious state. In dance, the movements and steps a dance artist experiences can bring about a visually harmonious body that plays with space and time re-creating harmony.
With the collaboration of mathematician and science writer Keith Devlin About Michelle Photo by Antonio Antoniu
Michelle was born in Chicago, and grew up in Mexico City. She received a BFA in Contemporary Dance from the Boston Conservatory, and an MFA in Performance and Choreography from NYU - Tisch School of the Arts. She has additional studies at The National Conservatory of Prague and National Theatre Ballet (Czech Republic), American Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, CND Madrid under the direction of Nacho Duato, and the Lubovitch Company. As a choreographer, Michelle has collaborated with film makers, designers for stage and film, photographers, music composers, architects and engineers. Her work involves curious research, and an overdose of imagination.
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Videos
(Click here to see them in Vimeo)
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