From Social Upheaval to Mental Health: Valparaíso’s 2nd Biennial of Modern and Contemporary Dance Unveils Program

Original article: Del estallido social a la salud mental: 2° Bienal de Danza Moderna y Contemporánea de Valparaíso dio a conocer su programación

In Chile, statistics show that the Valparaíso Region, following the Metropolitan Region, has the highest number of dance companies in the country. This makes the Second Biennial of Modern and Contemporary Dance an important event, taking place over five days from July 22 to August 6 at the Parque Cultural de Valparaíso (PCdV) and the municipal theaters of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. This biennial once again sets a milestone by promoting local creation through the language of movement.

The event will feature established and emerging companies presenting a diverse programming array, showcasing the broad spectrum of scenographic possibilities derived from movement.

Organized by the Seremi of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage in collaboration with Escenalborde, Contemporary Scenic Arts, and sponsored by the Valparaíso Municipality, the performances are free and aim to bring the language of dance to new audiences, fostering connections among practitioners of this art form.

Therefore, this edition will include community workshops conducted in neighborhood contexts alongside the Culture Directorate of the local municipality. The workshop spaces include the Las Cañas Community Center, Santa Ana Community Space, Neighborhood Associations No. 142 and No. 38, and the Playa Ancha Public Library.

Iván Sánchez, the biennial’s organizer and director of Escenalborde, stated that the event «reflects the vast possibilities that contemporary movement and dance language can adopt in the Valparaíso Region. We will see works rooted in modernity and others that blend contemporary styles to reach even more performative lines of choreographic staging.»

«We invite anyone interested to enjoy this wide range of possibilities that the language of movement can embrace, participate in the discussions accompanying the performances, and learn about what is happening in Valparaíso regarding contemporary dance creation,» Sánchez added.

Mediation and Performances

The Second Biennial of Modern and Contemporary Dance kicks off on Wednesday, July 22, at 11:00 AM at the Parque Cultural de Valparaíso with a mediation performance for educational communities of the piece «Talar. Dancing Poetic Mistralian,» by the Casa de la Danza Company, directed by María José Veragua.

This production is inspired by the poems of Gabriela Mistral, proposing a scenic journey through themes of memory, nature, motherhood, and death. Through contemporary dance and a constantly transforming scenic installation, the audience is invited to inhabit the sensitive, human, and poetic universe of the Nobel Prize winner.

That same day, at 7:00 PM, also at the PCdV, the biennial’s opening performance features «Como en un limbo,» by Compañía DanzaLa, directed by Javiera Walker Alarcón, alongside «La política del malestar,» directed by Pita Torres.

«Como en un limbo» is a choreographic piece exploring the tensions and everyday realities of migration, while «La política del malestar» examines the body as a territory of memory and resistance, addressing mental health from both intimate and political perspectives.

On Thursday, July 23, at 7:00 PM, the Hangar_espacio_ platform arrives at the Biennial with «estado #3,» created and directed by Soledad Medina and Marta Núñez, which investigates the performativity of bodies in a three-person relationship, where closeness reshapes forms, exploring different ways of being together.

On Friday, July 24, at 7:00 PM at the PCdV, the performance «Mi sombra en el azul de un reflejo» will be presented by the Cooperative of Scenic Arts La Fuga, under the direction of Mone Fritis Castro. This contemporary dance solo examines the experience of self-recognition as part of the LGTBIQANB+ community and the personal processes that accompany identity construction.

Following that, «Un pedazo de vida. Percepción VI,» by Meconio Lab, directed by Fran Tuñon Vidal, will present an interdisciplinary performative experience that merges Dance Theater, Butoh, sound, and music, inviting dialogue on simple practices to change the world through the performing arts.

Municipal Theater

On Saturday, July 25, the biennial will move to the Municipal Theater of Valparaíso, featuring a performance at 7:00 PM of «Sintientes, ecos de un caos,» by the Compañía Creadanza, directed by Mariela Peralta Ferroni. This work stems from each performer’s personal reflections about moving from automatic acting to reconnecting with oneself.

Next, «18.O Cenizas de la revuelta,» by Compañía Consecuencia, directed by Paola Gamboa Jiménez, will follow. This interdisciplinary scenic proposal explores the collective and emotional memories resulting from the social unrest of October 2019 in Valparaíso.

Finally, on Thursday, August 6, the movement shifts to the Municipal Theater of Viña del Mar, closing the event at 7:00 PM with the piece «Máquina de gloria y olvido,» where contemporary dance and performance unite to reflect on the abandonment issues of elevators in Valparaíso.

This piece features the performer Belén Ceci and the manipulator An Devenires, under the direction of choreographer and performing artist Marco Ignacio Orellana, director of the Amateur Company.