R.Evolución Latina: Choreographer's Festival 2011

Edited By Andrea Sousa
Camera Work By Sally Neiman

"Uniting people through the universal language of Dance." This is the motto that R.Evolución Latina Founder, Luis Salgado, and his Board of Directors are using to create their first Choreographers Festival. The goal of this event is to create a cultural exchange while celebrating the transformational power of dance.

What cultural exchange?

R.Evolución Latina is sponsoring Dance Company D1 of Peru, a group of 18 dancers taken under the wing of Vania Massias, who turned down a role in Cirque du Soleil to start a dance program for "under-served children tumbling in the streets". Vania's selfless efforts reflect R.Evolución Latina's fundamental drive: to make a difference through the arts.

R.Evolución Latina has gathered various choreographers from the Broadway and Latin American communities to participate in the festival. This year's choreographers include: Amanda Turner, Daniel Fetecua -Soto, Dario Vaccaro, Gabriela Garcia, Luis Salgado, Marcos Santana, Rebeca Tomas, Valeria Cossu, and Vania Masias. The performers are special guest dancers from the Broadway community, Dance Company D1, and R.Evolucion Latina's very own students from the Beyond Workshop Series.

The Beyond Workshop Series (BWS) is a program that provides free classes in voice, dance, and Shakespeare to adults. In return, many of these adults volunteer their time to assist with events, teach classes for kids, and help fund-raise. This is what we call the "Circle Effect." "No one cares to facilitate free opportunities for adults," says Luis Salgado. "Whenever there is an event or program for kids, people jump in right away to help out. But who are the people who give their time and talent to these kids? Adults who carry in them a desire for giving. We start the circle by providing THEM with something. We empower them so they can and WANT to pay it forward."

Performance opportunities are scarce for many artists living in the city, but the BWS dance students will have the opportunity to showcase what they've learned this year as performers in the festival.

The Choreographer's Festival took place March 14th, with performances on March 28th and 29th at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center. More details can be found at the Festival's website: http://revolucionlatina.org/choreographers-festival.html

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• candela
• dare to go beyond
• broadway
• amanda turner
• marcos santana
• dario vaccaro