vanguardia

Vanguardia Dance Projects is a Canadian - Latin American collective founded by Norma Araiza and Olga Barrios in 2010 with the purpose of promoting contemporary dance works.

As a collective, we are committed in supporting contemporary dance artists' professional development through different events such as a dance series, producing artists work, workshops and touring. We intend to promote an ongoing exchange and collaboration with international dance organizations and artists. We are interested in the dissemination of contemporary artistic practices of dance artists with Latin American background in Canada, maintaining conversation with the rest of the country and the world.

Vanguardia Dance Projects supports innovative artists thta include other art disciplines pushing the boundaries of what is called “contemporary” as well as works that having dance as the core, reflect a permanent search of expression through different languages.

An Evening of Latin American Contemporary Dance presents artists of Brazilian, Colombian, Guatemalan and Mexican origin, living in Ontario-Canada. The works present different approaches to contemporary dance, as well as artists with different levels of experience that include Indigenous peoples of Latin America.

We are building an annual event that will eventually allow us to invite Latin American artists from throughout Canada, as well as international guest artists/companies from Latin America

We hope you enjoy this event and continue supporting us.

Norma Araiza & Olga Barrios

GUEST ARTISTS


MEXICO NORMA ARAIZA "THE WELCOMING OF THE CRONE" Choreographed and performed by Norma Araiza Voice over: Daystar/ Rosalie Jones Music: Excerpts from "Elegía Ome Koyotl Mazatl" and "Los Brujos Del Agua" by Tribu Everything about this dance theatre piece, including the title, is a work in progress, and the seed of what will hopefully be a full-length production.Inspired by Susun Weed's book "The Wise Woman Way", the dance piece is the expression of a very personal journey dealing with the difficult and powerful menopausal years that have brought me to a new state of being and is leading me to the transformation into Crone, the ancient one. Contrary to what Western Culture and the media emphasize, the menopausal years are from beginning to end, times of change and times of power, not the inevitable downhill period of a woman's life. At this time, we go through isolation, death, rebirth and reintegration into the community with more wisdom and knowledge, and that is what I'm aiming for! The Artist NORMA ARAIZA is a Yaqui/Mexican performer, choreographer, and instructor living in Toronto. Norma works in different art modalities blending dance, theatre, vocals, percussion, and Tai Chi Chuan with cultural and traditional themes in a contemporary context. She has studied with international artists such as Jerzy Grotowski, Eugenio Barba, Natsu Nakajima, Tascabile di Bergamo, Kei Takei, Pol Pelletier, among others. Norma is the artistic director of Tolmec Dance Theatre an independent Toronto-based group working with cultural specific themes and a member of NM Laboratory of Performing Arts Collective and Vanguardia Dance Projects. She holds a Master’s Degree in Dance Ethnology from York University and she graduated from the Expressive Arts Therapy Program at ISIS-Canada. She works as an EXA Therapist at Hospice Toronto with people with life threatening illnesses and their caregivers through the arts. Her work has been presented at different venues in Toronto and in Ontario, Montreal, Hungary, California, and throughout Mexico.

BRAZIL NEWTON MORAES DANCE THEATRE "REBORN" Reborn – a new life and new grounds lie ahead, the exploration of new territories and finding ones love for life and dance. The Artist Brazilian-born Newton Moraes immigrated to Canada in 1991 to study at the Toronto Dance Theatre. Moraes has developed a singular style that blends Brazilian dance with international dance traditions. He is studying his MFA at York University, teaches at Bavia Arts, Ballet Creole and York University in Toronto. Since his arrival in Canada in 1991, Moraes has choreographed more than forty works. As director of the Newton Moraes Dance Theatre, Moraes wants to bridge creative collaborations and exchanges between Canada and Brazil. The company has toured in Canada, Germany and Brazil. His 2 works “Saudades do Brasil” and “Ihu” will be touring in 2011/2012.

GUATEMALA HERYKA MIRANDA (emerging artist) "COMING BACK TO MOTHER EARTH" Choreographer and dancer: Heryka Miranda Costume: Bonnie Parsons Make up artist: Ruth Wilgres Music: ‘Manzanilla’ By: Marimba Herencia Maya; ‘Arbol de la Vida’ By: Lila Downs The performance will be an interpretation of a tree’s spirit. Inspiration stems from Heryka’s desire to listen deeply and reconnect with Mother Earth. The Artist Heryka creates thought-provoking and moving dance pieces inspired by her commitment to human rights and social justice. Her inspirations also stem from her life journey in understanding her bicultural identity as a daughter of Guatemalan immigrant parents, born and raised in the Mid-Atlantic United States and now happily living in Toronto. Her passion and love of dance and her diverse Latin American roots have taken her to study Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and Cuban Modern/Contemporary Dance forms under well-respected teachers, choreographers and dancers. She is an expressive arts community worker and co-founder of ReVeAL Dance Creation - an integrated, mixed abilities dance and performance- based youth program. Heryka is honored to be invited to share the stage with such humble and talented Latin American dance artists.

COLOMBIA OLGA BARRIOS "BEHIND WINDOWS" Choreographer and performer: Olga Barrios Lighting designer and video artist: Trevor Schwellnus Sound editor: Diego Marulanda Costume: Mariela Suarez de Barrios. Music: Excerpt of “Kentucky Fried Medulla” by Mecca Bodega; Excerpt of “La guagua- Colombian Launge” by Senen Palacio; Excerpt of “Mi verso y yo” by El Cholo Valderrama. A solo dance piece inspired on the dehumanization of violence through acts of war. This is a multidisciplinary exploration in which the staging of dance is supported by elements of theatre, video, and music. In this piece I recount stories of women and men from Colombia, my country of origin. Though these are not events from my own personal history, I feel they are part of my story: there is fear in the atmosphere of a silent war. The Artist Olga Barrios is a choreographer, teacher and dancer that has collaborated with theatre, musical and dance companies in Canada, USA and Colombia. She was born in Bogota- Colombia where she studied the Scenic Arts Program in dance at the Arts Academy of Bogota, and holds an MFA in dance at York University of Toronto.  Her recent participation includes different festivals in Canada such as the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival 2010, Hamilton Site Specific Festival 2010, Vibrant Colombia Festival at Harbourtfront 2010 and internationally at the Bogota Dance Festival 2010 and Festival Women on Stage for Peace Colombia 2010. Olga is also a teacher of Modern Dance and Afro-Latin at McMaster University. More info at: www.olgabarrios.com

MEXICO CARLOS RIVERA "I’M NOT THE INDIAN YOU HAVE IN MIND" Choreographer: Carlos Rivera Dancers: Lilia León, Sarain Carson-Fox, Waawaate Fobister and Carlos Rivera This work is an exploration of the stereotypes attributed to native people from external sources, as well as the stereotypes that native people place upon themselves. Developed as part of the Six Choreographers Indigenous Workshop organized by Earth in Motion World Indigenous Dance Company in September 2010, this work develops a movement language based on these central themes and uses this language to create a contemporary dance piece. The goal of this choreographic work is to explore who we are as indigenous people, as human beings and as contemporary natives, carrying the spirit of our ancestors with us, every moment of our lives. The Artist Carlos Rivera is a dancer, teacher and choreographer and has been Associate Artist for Red Sky Performance for the past ten years. Carlos is of Mixteco Indigenous descent, and trained at the Government of Mexico City's Cultural Secretary Dance School and the Centre for Choreographic Research (CICO-INBA) at the Fine Arts Institute. He has participated in numerous dance productions as well as a director and choreographer of the Yumare Arte Escenico, a traditional and contemporary dance company. Carlos draws from elements within traditional and popular culture in contemporary dance. His own choreographic works include Bosque Sagrado, Jardines y Santuarios, Memorias del Fandango, and From the Aztlán to the Zócalo His performance credits include: Caribou Song (Red Sky); Raven Stole the Sun (Red Sky); Tono (Red Sky); Shimmer (Red Sky); Dancing Americas (Red Sky); Miinogooweziwin...the Gift, Bones, Throw Away Kids and Light and Shadows.