COME SEE, COME SA: the creators!
In May, Danspunt launched an open call, seeking four creators who wanted to develop a work-in-progress into a fully-fledged performance. From dozens of entries, we have selected four who will be taking part in the COME SEE, COME SA trajectory. We’d like to introduce them briefly here!
Ellian Abrahan Guevara Alavardo - Crudo
Crudo explores Ellian’s experience as someone who divides his time between Ecuador and Belgium. The work reflects on how his body tries to adapt to a new environment in which he feels rejected, stemming from the emotional and physical strain that migration entails. Crudo addresses themes such as racism, cultural alienation and the fragmented nature of Belgian society as experienced by Ellian. Through dance, rap and self-produced music, he translates that unease into an intense sensory experience. Rather than merely raising awareness about migration, Crudo confronts the audience with the raw emotional reality of rejection, alienation and the feeling of not belonging.
Isabella Arboleda - 7 Crowns/Paths
7 Crowns/Paths draws inspiration from Yemayá, the female deity of salt water in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and in traditions of the diaspora, such as Santería in Cuba and Puerto Rico, and Candomblé in Brazil. ‘7 Crowns’ refers to her attributes, and ‘Paths’ refers to the diverse ways in which this female figure engages in dialogue with what the deity signifies today. Isabella is interested in how the intermingling of cultural influences, symbols and images can give rise to a third entity with an ambiguous and almost indefinable identity. Transformation and constant change are central to her work.
Luna Luz Sanchez - Cuerpos Prohibidos
Cuerpos Prohibidos brings together two artists with contrasting physical expressions: butoh, performed by Yuri Matsumaru, and flamenco, performed by Manou Selhorst. The work stems from the tension between resilience and resistance: flamenco attacks and confronts, whilst butoh dissolves and transforms. Both dance styles emerged from historical crises and collective wounds. The piece explores ‘forbidden bodies’: bodies shaped by oppression, which are constantly transforming in order to survive. The performance unfolds in a circular arena, inspired by the bullring as the ultimate place of confrontation, which is here reclaimed by female bodies and transformed into a ritual space.
Oumi Niang - Mag ak Rakka
Mag ak Rakka means ‘older’ and ‘younger’ sibling. The performance, which Oumi is creating with her 14-year-old sister Aiko-Astou, explores the passing on of knowledge, care, responsibility and the search for identity. On stage, where they are free to play and explore together, they seek out different ways to connect with their Senegalese roots. The sisters are, however, very different; Oumi speaks Wolof better, Aiko is a better drummer, Oumi is eight years older, Aiko is taller, Oumi feels perpetually responsible, Aiko can breakdance, Oumi cannot… That is why, in this quest, they are bound to come up against the fragility of a sisterly bond. They share all of this as transparently as possible in a musical, visual and vulnerable performance.