Our new Spotlight collection emerged out of the need for audiences and different artists to attach with dancers who they could not know–as a result of the artist is new to the realm, or from a unique era or pocket of the dance scene. The Q&A format lets Seattle dance artists to introduce themselves in their very own phrases, or share the place they’re on this second in time.
Photo: Joe Reynolds
What’s your title and pronoun?
Zara Martina Lopez (She-They)
When did you come to Seattle and why?
I got here to Seattle in 2017, my companion on the time had a job provide in Alaska and Seattle was a portal to “the great land.” He needed Portland, however in the end it was me who was going to be spending more often than not within the metropolis. I felt impressed by nature, and the idiosyncrasy of Seattle. Not to say my love for the mountains, the crisp air and all of the water surrounding us, it was simply so dreamy.
What’s your position in Seattle dance?
I see myself as a dancer, choreographer, researcher, creator, and a instructor. I additionally work in pictures and videography. And whereas I don’t dance for any firm in the intervening time I’m all the time on the lookout for new collaborative partnerships with different artists.
What sort of work is your favourite to make/do?
I really like creating for the stage, I wish to form what I think about into motion, mixing a myriad of assets like video, textual content, audio, phonetics. I like experimenting and creating from a spot of play and daring, with out the stress of doing it for anyone however myself.
Tell us about your subsequent efficiency or final efficiency.
My final efficiency on stage was at Base for 12 Minutes Max. I named my piece Pássaros (“Birds” in Portuguese) partially as a result of Brazil was the primary nation I skilled as an immigrant and birds have lengthy been a supply of inspiration for me. In preparation for the piece I learn, watched, contemplated, listened, talked-to, and requested a complete lot about birds. I explored motion from the concept of their locomotion and flight patterns; I went deep into the construction of feathers. My mind was stuffed with imagery, in order a juxtaposition I made a decision to make use of the best garments on stage, specializing in motion composition, vocal exploration and visuals (filmed by me), which I approached as a projection of my thoughts at the side of motion. For my subsequent efficiency: I’ve dreamed for years to carry to the stage a up to date dance adaptation of La Casa de Bernarda Alba from one in all my favourite writers, poets, and theatre administrators, Federico Garcia Lorca. Oh gosh!
Just desirous about it and my physique tingles. It’s formidable however I imagine that with dedication and the assist of our neighborhood I could make it occur in 2023. Also this yr I’ll be touring as a part of Meg Foley’s upcoming piece, Carpet Womb, for which I’m past excited.
What do you carry to the rehearsal room?
I carry an open thoughts, a curious physique, energetic ears, all the time attempt to come as a clean paper sheet to permit others to reinscribe with and in me. I additionally love studying about dance, watching what’s happening with dance on the earth–not solely dance however efficiency artwork, music venues, video artwork, theatre, portray, pictures, trend, and so on.
I can carry references, if the undertaking welcomes this info. Having Colombian roots I carry a pleasant vitality, learnt from my great aunts. Human above all. I pay attention, I course of and I suggest, additionally when directing I discover that it’s straightforward for me to seek out options and contemplate what’s finest for everyone as a bunch. I attempt to maintain all my senses open and receptive.
Photo: Jim Coleman
Tell us about your favourite efficiency that you just’ve seen in Seattle and why you really liked it.
Woof! This is a tough one, I personally attempt to catch as many performances as doable, so I’ll point out two for 2022 lol.
First one was a part of the 2022 Fragmented Flow Festival at On the Boards by Gender Tender: MELTED RIOT SPECTRA(L). I beloved it for his or her surreal strategy, their vocal exploration, and their explorative use of house. I beloved it as a result of they had been speaking concerning the violence and sabotage society places on QT [queer-trans] people, people like me. So I felt inherently a part of it and without warning this efficiency was designed in a trend that on the “end” the stage grew to become an open house for whoever was there, and I really like when artwork turns into one with the folks.
Second one was The Season’s Canon by PNB dancers with music (re)composed by Max Ritcher: Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Season (I really like each these composers) and choreography by the Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite. I beloved it as a result of It was deeply shifting, and her strategy to trauma, battle and mortality caught me feeling a part of the efficiency. I used to be humbled and glad to acknowledge that this piece was not a few prima ballerina, as a substitute it was about fragility, wounds, these issues that solely the physique can inform as a result of they’re hidden in our soul. The variety of dancers was colossal, extraordinarily stunning and properly accomplished. All of them had been one, all of them had been us.
Photo: Joe Reynolds
What are some media that you just love or which can be influencing you proper now?
I really like Rosita Boisseau books, they’re heavy and ponderous however so full of wonderful references and pictures! I all the time carry one with me on lengthy journeys, in case of a scarcity of web it’s a bible for dancers. I don’t watch a lot TV, however I LOVE films! I might go on with names however simply going to place two administrators I really like not too long ago: Xavier Dolan (one should watch film: Lawrence Anyways) and Carlos Saura! (All his movies).
When it involves music I’m extraordinarily eclectic, right now I’ll shout out an album I imagine the world ought to hearken to: Cantaoras by Alé Kuma, a combination between city and conventional musicians giving gentle to a brand new wave of Afro-Colombian music. I LOVE MUSIC! Vinyl, apps, youtube, reside, YES TO ALL MUSIC…and dance bless silence.
Recommend three issues!
1) Take your self on a date together with your interior youngster, play, let your hair be loopy and uncombed, snicker out loud, eat french fries and ice cream.
2) Call someone you’ve been lacking and allow them to know you’re considering of them.
3) I additionally suggest getting an indoor hammock and studying your favourite books in it, watching the rain fall, taking a nap or having nice conversations with expensive buddies in it.
If folks needed to observe you and your work, what’s the easiest way for them to do this?
Instagram deal with: @zaramedallo