Center for the Art of Performance is proud to present the world premiere of ‘Agua Furiosa,’ the newest work from CONTRA-TIEMPO Urban Latin Dance Theater. Created by Artistic Director Ana Maria Alvarez, there will be 8 performances of ‘Agua Furiosa’—dates are listed below. Tickets ($29) are available now at cap.ucla.edu, via Ticketmaster and at the UCLA Central Ticket Office at 310.825.2101.
Performance dates: Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 8PM; Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 8PM; Sat, Jan 16, 2016 at 8PM; Sun, Jan 17, 2016 at 4PM; Thu, Jan 21, 2016 at 8PM; Fri, Jan 22, 2016 at 8PM; Sat, Jan 23, 2016 at 8PM; Sun, Jan 24, 2016 at 4PM.
CONTRA-TIEMPO is a bold, multilingual Los Angeles-based dance company, dedicated to transforming the world through dance while building community, facilitating dialogue and moving audiences to imagine what is possible. Their work is rooted in Salsa and Afro-Cuban movement and draws from hip-hop, urban dance and contemporary dance theater. The dancers create an invigorating blend of physically intense and socially astute performance that pushes the boundaries of Latin dance as an expressive cultural and contemporary form.
‘Agua Furiosa’, CONTRA-TIEMPO’s newest work, challenges audiences to confront harsh realities of race in our country. Inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and Oya, the Afro-Cuban deity of wind and storms, artistic director and choreographer Ana Maria Alvarez harnesses her unique urban-Latin movement approach to create a visually stunning and thought-provoking evening of dance performance. ‘Agua Furiosa’ examines themes of race and water through call and response, a live vocalist, fierce physicality and the performers’ own personal multicultural narratives. Audiences will walk away from ‘Agua Furiosa’ impacted and inspired to locate themselves inside the complex and transforming conversation of race in America. Creative collaborators include sound designer d. Sabela Grimes, vocalist Pyeng Threadgill, lighting designer Masha Tsimring, dramaturg Michael Garcés and costume designer Rosalida Medina.
‘Agua Furiosa’ began with a series of site specific performances, throughout the creation of the piece, connected to distinct bodies of water in Los Angeles. These events were the “community choreographic laboratories”. Through these labs audience members/participants witnessed work in progress, participated in the performance and had an opportunity to share their own stories connected to the themes explored in the piece: race, exile, injustice, water, drought and upheaval. The stories were based around the physical space where they were performed and were both personal and local. Unique experiences from each laboratory were collected to be potentially woven into the final performance work.
Presented in collaboration with UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance. Supported in part by the James A. Doolittle Endowment.
