Nuestra Fuerza
Maria Gomez Mont
Project Description
I choreographed a contemporary dance piece that addresses gender violence in Mexico. For the soundtrack I used the songs Canciòn Sin Miedo by Vivir Quintana and Querida Muerte (No Nos Maten) by Renee Goust and voiceovers of interviews and hard data from governmental websites. The audio even though in Spanish has subtitles in English so that it can be widely understood. The piece was performed by six dancers and filmed in Tishman auditorium.
What Form will your Final Project Take?
Dance video and paper
Who was supporting you in your work?
Fields Harrington, Professor. Danielle Goldman, director of the arts. Neil Greenberg, director of dance. I worked with Professor Fields during our Arts Sr Capstone class. He gave me feedback on my paper and creative project and facilitated classroom discussions. Professor Goldman was always available for meetings in which she gave me advice, suggestions and feedback on my work. I did a work-in-progress presentation with Professor Goldman and Professor Greenberg in which I received feedback on my choreography and advice on filming. Professor Greenberg also facilitated access to rehearsal spaces and Tishman auditorium.
Project Themes:
Creative, social justice
How has this project has been impactful or transformative?
Right after filming the five other dancers and myself embraced. Exhausted but filled with pride in our work. I could not believe that I was able to create this project. This project lived in my brain for two years. I was finally able to physically create it. I am extremely passionate about the feminist fight, especially in my home country Mexico. I also deeply believe that art is a great way to reach the heart of people. Especially dance as it is purely fiscal it appeals to our soul in a different way, expressing what language can’t. Making it a great tool for activism. During this process I often doubted my abilities, but I was dedicated to the project. Seeing the raw clips I was extremely proud of the choreography I created and it painted a clear picture of all that I have learned during college. Working with such delicate subject matters also created a sisterhood with the dancers that is priceless.
What would you do differently?
One thing I would change about this project is being able to present it at the dance senior capstone showcase. Therefore I would strongly advise fellow dance students who are graduating in the fall semester to do their capstone the previous spring. The other aspect I would change if I could is the filming of the dance. I would advise students that are filming a choreographic project to think very clearly about the angles they want to shoot. I trusted the videographer's creative vision too much and was not specific on shots that I wanted. Looking back I wish I had devoted more though to the camera aspect of the video.
Short summary of your experience:
It was an amazing experience developing this project. I enjoyed working and receiving feedback from other students and seeing our creative projects develop. I also am grateful for the accessibility of my professors and their willingness to give advice and feedback. However the most amazing part of this project was developing choreography with five other amazing dancers that were very dedicated, supportive and open to trying countless different things.
