Whistles the Sea
Choreography by Melissa Melpignano
"This piece honors and reflects upon the encounter between my native Mediterranean roots and my new home by the banks of the Rio Grande. Despite their distance, the river border and the Mediterranean Sea similarly interrogate me: How to allow our bodies to inhabit the beauty and spiritual dimension of the Rio and the Sea when they become silent migrant cemeteries? How to mourn and celebrate life at the same time? We rely on the pizzica tarantata, a centuries-old, healing, ecstatic dance from my native region of Puglia (Italy), practiced by women to transmute grief and violence into new vital energy. I deeply thank Camila, Maddie, and Mitzy for their courage, openness, sensitivity, and strength. We invite you to look at your palms for a moment: notice their texture, temperature, all the lines that cross them, mapping our lives."
Cast: Laura Camila Hellmuth, Mitzy Lira, Madelyne Shaleen
Lighting Designer: Rebecca Roberts
Costume Designer: Robyn Farley
Music/Sound Credit: Sea Salt, from La Santa Monica by: Alessandra Eramo | Primitive Bird," from Tracing South by: Alessandra Eramo
Se parte e se partiu (Pizzica di Aradeo) by: Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino
Lighting Designer: Rebecca Roberts
Costume Designer: Robyn Farley
Music/Sound Credit: Sea Salt, from La Santa Monica by: Alessandra Eramo | Primitive Bird," from Tracing South by: Alessandra Eramo
Se parte e se partiu (Pizzica di Aradeo) by: Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino
Air and Oceania
Choreography by Alexis Anderson -Chaves
"This piece is a celebration of the air and water that we take for granted. For, the air and ocean’s circumstances reflect the phenomenon of humanity’s respect and understanding of nature."
Cast: Alexis Anderson-Chaves, Nancy Alvidrez, Regina Perez, Daniela Ramos, Kirei Rios, Judith Villanueva
Costume Designer: El Paso Community College
Music/Sound Credit: M.A.Y in The Backyard by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Costume Designer: El Paso Community College
Music/Sound Credit: M.A.Y in The Backyard by Ryuichi Sakamoto
The Way of Water
Choreography by Ailis De Luna*
"The way of water represents the journey we are destined to take throughout the stages of our life. The boat signifies the shift of our lives where water decides to take us, it can be peaceful and lovely or rough and difficult but at the end we all have a choice to live it our way. My piece defines my childhood journey and my transition from a girl to a young woman and how I decided to live it my way."
Cast: Ailis De Luna, Miranda Roldan
Lighting Designer: Maria Espinoza
Costume Designer: Brian Hollander II
Music/Sound Credit: Sweet Morning Waves to Wake Up by: Naturaleza Viva | My Way by: Andre Rieu
Edit/Mix Design: Rodrigo Garcia
Lighting Designer: Maria Espinoza
Costume Designer: Brian Hollander II
Music/Sound Credit: Sweet Morning Waves to Wake Up by: Naturaleza Viva | My Way by: Andre Rieu
Edit/Mix Design: Rodrigo Garcia
Ripple Effect
Choreography by Ashley Kroft
"Ripple Effect explores the impetus of a ripple and where the end is going to be. The impetus oscillating between positive affirmations and negative disputes. How far does a smile travel or how much damage are you willing to accept of an unkind act? A pebble of an idea that rippled into disruptiveness, unpredictability, and resilience. I want to thank Gabby, Brianna, Kayla, Rhaymee, and Hezekiah for their talent, willingness, and openness to exploring this idea with me. This could not have happened without your creative intelligence!
Cast: Brianna Garcia, Kayla Kuhaja, Rhaymee Arch, Hezekiah Grant, Gaby Munoz
Lighting Designer: Larry Ortiz
Costume Designer: Clarissa Sanchez
Music/Sound Credit: Escape Artist by: Zoë Keating
Lighting Designer: Larry Ortiz
Costume Designer: Clarissa Sanchez
Music/Sound Credit: Escape Artist by: Zoë Keating
Absence of Water
Choreography by Paola Alvarado*
"Diversity, Belonging and Life.
Connecting to water trough rituals. In most cultures, water is a source of inspiration, as well as an essential and precious part of life; an element that brings together the mind, body, and soul. Indigenous people honor and respect water as sacred and complete life-sustaining."
Connecting to water trough rituals. In most cultures, water is a source of inspiration, as well as an essential and precious part of life; an element that brings together the mind, body, and soul. Indigenous people honor and respect water as sacred and complete life-sustaining."
Cast: Paola Alvarado, Melissa Vero Rosado, Ana Monroy, Noemi Quinonez, , Ana Palacios
Lighting Designer: Wendy Silva
Costume Designer: Clarissa Sanchez
Music/Sound Credit: Humano by: Lido Pimienta | Awakening by: Vasilisk, Lion's Drum
Lighting Designer: Wendy Silva
Costume Designer: Clarissa Sanchez
Music/Sound Credit: Humano by: Lido Pimienta | Awakening by: Vasilisk, Lion's Drum
-15 MINUTE INTERMISSION-
Brincado El Charro
Choreography by Leslie Arias Albeldano*
"With this performance I want to bring awareness that water doesn’t always keeps you alive, but water can also end with your life. Despite water as a necessity water is a very dangerous site. To live in a border city makes it very common to see families cross the border illegally every day in my daily route to school, it is very disheartening to see the dangers that this may bring them. My goal for this piece is that I want the performers and the audience to step into the immigrant’s shoes to sense their journey in all the steps they take."
Cast: Erik Corralejo, Briana Carranco, Nadia Younes, Makayla Santana, Victoria Padilla, Jenna Jauregui
Lighting Designer: Larry Ortiz
Costume Designer: Clarissa Sanchez
Music/Sound Credit: Sad Chinese Banjo by: Milkweed | Why We Build the Wall by: Anais Mitchell ft. Greg Brown | Inside by: Moshe Bareket | Dangerous Waters by: Elitsa Alexandrova | Sueno Americano by: Mario Domm
Lighting Designer: Larry Ortiz
Costume Designer: Clarissa Sanchez
Music/Sound Credit: Sad Chinese Banjo by: Milkweed | Why We Build the Wall by: Anais Mitchell ft. Greg Brown | Inside by: Moshe Bareket | Dangerous Waters by: Elitsa Alexandrova | Sueno Americano by: Mario Domm
Creosote Rain
Choreography by Mountain Movement
"Creosote, ubiquitous in the Chihuahuan desert, is the bush that evokes the smell of desert rain. The audience is invited to participate in a partially-improvised experience defining what makes our desert significant, particularly in times of rain. Much gratitude for the lives we are able to build in this hot, dry, and windy city."
Cast: Michelle Pacillas Lopez, Natalia Paola Portillo
Lighting Designer: Marissa Diaz
Costume Designer: Mountain Movement
Live Music/Sound Performed by: Ricardo Castro
Lighting Designer: Marissa Diaz
Costume Designer: Mountain Movement
Live Music/Sound Performed by: Ricardo Castro
Agonal Respite
Choreography by Saul Martinez*
"This dance will express the struggle of attempting to live life normally, or rather in a new way, after the loss of a loved one. It will show the struggle of constantly falling in and out of that depression that comes along with the loss of someone or something, and how it is not something that we can ever truly do away with. It is something that we learn to cope with and appreciate that the memory of someone or something gone has left a scar and that as painful as it may be it’s a sign that we are living life right and making strong connections, taking risks, and finding love for life."
Cast: Mitzy Lira, Saul Martinez, Ileana Melissa Vera Rosado
Lighting Designer: Ari Salas
Costume Designer: Robyn Farley
Music/Sound Credit: Souls of Mist composed by Shunsuke Kida, Remixed by Vee | Milfanito composed by Motoi Sakuraba, Remixed by Edward Ikor| Great Grey Wolf Sif composed by Motoi Sakuraba, Remixed by Tills Chills | Gwyn, Lord of Cinder composed by Motoi Sakuraba, Remixed by Starlord74
Lighting Designer: Ari Salas
Costume Designer: Robyn Farley
Music/Sound Credit: Souls of Mist composed by Shunsuke Kida, Remixed by Vee | Milfanito composed by Motoi Sakuraba, Remixed by Edward Ikor| Great Grey Wolf Sif composed by Motoi Sakuraba, Remixed by Tills Chills | Gwyn, Lord of Cinder composed by Motoi Sakuraba, Remixed by Starlord74
Parallel of Inner Reflection
Choreography by Alyssa Aranda*
"Parallel of Inner Reflections explores the relationship between the outer and inner sides of a person and how they sometimes don’t necessarily match. A lot of the time, we as humans, hide our feelings, struggles, and insecurities until there comes a time where we must face it. Throughout the piece, we work through these problems reflected to us in the water that are different to each dancer and come to realize the full acceptance of oneself. Special thanks to UTEP Dance and Theater for providing the space for my dancers and I to perform, to my dancers for trusting and sharing the stage with me, and to my brother, Nicholas Aranda, for always cutting my music."
Cast: Alyssa Aranda, Ailis De Luna, Chandell Molinar
Lighting Designer: Kian Sasser
Costume Designer: Lee Nixon
Music/Sound Credit: Claire De Lune by: Flight Facilities | Lilith by: Peter Gundry | Singing Wine Glasses by: Blue Claw Fitness
Edit/Mix Design: Nicholas Aranda
Lighting Designer: Kian Sasser
Costume Designer: Lee Nixon
Music/Sound Credit: Claire De Lune by: Flight Facilities | Lilith by: Peter Gundry | Singing Wine Glasses by: Blue Claw Fitness
Edit/Mix Design: Nicholas Aranda
CREATIVE TEAM
Stage Manager: Itzel Martinez
Assistant Stage Manager: Brittany Conyers
Scenery and Props Designer: Reggie Garcia
Assistant Scenery and Props Designer: Valerie Del Valle
Projections Designer: Larry Ortiz
Sound Designer: Wendy Silva
Technical Director: Cynthia Esparza
Master Electrician: Rebecca Roberts
Wardrobe Head: Lee Nixon
Lightboard Operator: Stephanie Chavez
Soundboard Operator: Carolina Galindo Lozoya
Projection Operator: Cat Hernandez
Run Crew: Celeste Moreno, Paulina Sandoval, Ashley Adams, Diana Cardoso, Yesenia Santibanez
Assistant Stage Manager: Brittany Conyers
Scenery and Props Designer: Reggie Garcia
Assistant Scenery and Props Designer: Valerie Del Valle
Projections Designer: Larry Ortiz
Sound Designer: Wendy Silva
Technical Director: Cynthia Esparza
Master Electrician: Rebecca Roberts
Wardrobe Head: Lee Nixon
Lightboard Operator: Stephanie Chavez
Soundboard Operator: Carolina Galindo Lozoya
Projection Operator: Cat Hernandez
Run Crew: Celeste Moreno, Paulina Sandoval, Ashley Adams, Diana Cardoso, Yesenia Santibanez
*indicates that this piece is the choreographer's capstone.