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Pablo Francisco Ruvalcaba

Hometown: Born in San Diego, raised in Tijuana, Mexico

Education: Started dancing at age 18 at La Casa de la Cultura in Tijuana, Mexcio. Then studied at South Western College in San Diego, California. Continued dancing at Julliard and then in the Limón Dance Company.

Hobbies or interests: Reading, especially Borges or Neil Gaiman

Your roles and responsibilities in the dance world: Former Limón Dance Company dancer in The Moor’s Pavane, The Traitor, and the Outsider.

Co-founder/director of Higher Ground Festival

Limón Dance Company repertory re-constructor and teacher

Major influences: Limón’s philosophy/ideology. His humanity/inclusiveness of what we do and why.

Your definition of dance: Primal, something we’ve always done and will always do. It is one of the most comprehensive languages, beyond spoken. Something we inherently understand.

What do you think of using dance as a form of diplomacy? Dance is intimacy that we share. It is highly personal. It is an ideal form of diplomacy because dance allows us to be vulnerable. It is who we are and a good place to work from.

What is your most memorable moment in the dance industry, thus far? Dancing in Bosnia after the war. Our repertory was about valor in the face of adversity and coming back from a brink. The audience had a deep appreciation for our performance and sincerely digested it. It was beautiful to see this theater that had gunshot holes from war in it, but was still functioning. Another memorable moment was performing a solo for the first time at the Theater of Bellas Artes in Mexico City. It was significant because of my Mexican upbringing.

What do you hope to gain from your participation in this program? I hope to gain real perspective into the field of art administration on a global scale. I also hope to gain the ability to create a blueprint for myself as a festival administrator/director.

Luis Miguel Martinez Guarnizo

Hometown: Born and raised in Manizales, Caldas. Mother’s side of the family is from Natagaima, Tolima.

Education: University at: Universidad de Caldas, BA in Modern Languages (2019)

Artistic Education: Plastic arts at Escuela de Artes COMFAMILIARES

Hobbies or interests: Reading books, playing video games, going to theatre, dancing, listening to music (a must when I walk/run), TV and movies, drinking tea.

Your roles and responsibilities in the dance world: Primarily I am a performer. I dance with with DANZA-LAB, all of the members of the laboratory have had to become choreographers as a part of an assignment from our professor .

A while back, I started to get more involved in the public image of the group and helping the professors with some administrative duties. In that sense I would be a pseudo-assistant.

Can you describe the art (performing, visual, etc.) scene in your country Colombia has a wide range of artistic expression. Some of the most easily recognizable are the local celebrations (Carnivals and fairs) in cities all around the country, which allows many performers to converge in parades and shows. Festivals occur each year where theatre and dance meet. Street performers are very common (especially on red lights). Museums and galleries are open and lots of artists display their work (there are other venues for them to present their art, like universities, restaurants or hotels).

What was the most memorable thing about working with Bebe Miler Company? Receiving a group of complete strangers can be overwhelming. You want to show yourself at your best and do everything perfectly, but it was different working with Bebe Miller Company. Sarah, our teacher that day, was very straight forward when it came to mistakes, and that is to say “It is ok to commit mistakes, simply use them to keep creating movement and communicate.”  

Have you ever been to the United States? Have you ever been to New York City? I have never been to the States, nor NYC. I would be lying if I did not say I want to eat pizza at an authentic New York pizza parlor. Walking down the shores of the Hudson River. Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Visiting any museum. And experiencing the cultural exchange with like minded, passionate, dance folk.

Please provide a brief artistic mission or artist statement about your work: Being who we are isn’t a pity but a privilege. Moving like we move isn’t an automatic process but a message-filled experience. I belong to a community; they support me as I support them. Everything must be a joint effort, even if only one of us is on stage.   

Your definition of dance: Dance is an intrinsic element of human interaction; with significant development through history, it is capable of communicating without words.  

When did you choose to work in dance? (Or when did it choose you?) With my mother’s encouragement and teachings I began to get more and more interested in dancing. But it was not until I met my dance teachers that I truly started working with proper technique and dedication.

What do you think of using dance as a form of diplomacy? From my studies in linguistics I know that our bodies are capable of giving out multiple messages and transmitting a great amount of feelings. This sharing process is well suited for diplomatic instances where words are not enough to grasp some notions of a specific culture.  

What do you hope to gain from your participation in this program? First and foremost, I want to get sufficient tools to improve or boost my participation in the arts scene. International networking would be ideal. A good record that can strengthen the relationship between Colombian schools and North American ones.    

What are your goals for your future involvement in dance/the performing arts?