Since its first edition, in 2013, the Cali International Dance Biennialin Colombia, has established itself as one of the most relevant cultural projects in the country, convening in its previous six editions more than 4,250 national and international dancers and 224,000 spectators. In collaboration with the Ramon Llull Institute, this year a program Catalan focus with the participation of 5 companies, and an exhibition.
The Veronalan internationally renowned company known for its multidisciplinary style and a unique and unmistakable aesthetic, presents sonomathe acclaimed work premiered 4 years ago inspired by the figure of Buñuel, which delves into the piece that the director Marcos Morau created in 2016 for the Ballet de Lorraé entitled Surrealism at the service of the Revolution. In sonoma the atavistic prevails, with movements and hypnotic aesthetics that recall old cultures and rituals.
bad hair takes his work to Cali Bach. With the artistic co-direction of Pep Ramis and María Muñoz, Bach it is presented as a study of movement, gaze, rhythm, breathing and presence in relation to musicality. It is a selection of preludes and fugues contained in the two books they make up The well-tempered key composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in the 18th century, in which María Muñoz combines the dance of some preludes played live with the memory of some fugues danced in silence.
Another of the Catalan companies scheduled is Aurora Bauzà and Pere Jouwhich will show AT BEGINNING #16161D: a piece for 5 dancers/singers equipped with portable lights to whom we listen to breathe, walk and speak. They explore the relationship between movement, voice and light. This piece dissociates the body that sings from the body that moves. Aurora and Pere Jou are a young company, created in 2021, with a clearly experimental and multidisciplinary philosophy, which already has an extensive international tour and outstanding awards and recognitions.
The choreographer Angels Margaretformer director of the Mercat de les Flors de Barcelona and one of the most relevant and international figures of Catalan dance, will also be part of Foco Catalan, carrying out a practice of transmitting her piece Only for hotel room. Margarit will work on the choreography of his solo with performers from Cali, establishing a transcultural dialogue through dance.
Finally, the artistic collective emerged from the Worker of the Fira Manresa companyled by Peter Seda and integrated by Isaac Ballester, Oriol Macià, Eduard Roca and Sònia Serrathey will perform a cross-transmission work with the contemporary dance company Incolballetfrom Colombia, led by Andrea Bonilla. This work is articulated through a project of shared residences between the Fira Mediterrània and the Cali Bienal, which begins in Center for Creation and Living Arts Granercontinues with a first sample of the work in the framework of the Mediterranean Fair and culminates with the final presentation at the Biennale.
You can also visit the retrospective exhibition dedicated to Núria Font, Dancing with the camera. Núria Font, Catalan video artist, is a key figure in the recent history of dance in Catalonia: she has created video dance pieces for some of the main contemporary dance companies in the territory, such as Àngels Margarit/cia Mudanzas and Mal Pelo, of which you can see a sample of the work done by Font. In addition, she was the founder and director of festivals that merged dance and new technologies, such as the Videodance Festival and the VAD, International Video and Digital Arts Festival.
The Cali Dance Biennial will also have a diverse program of international quality, with companies from seven countries invited (France, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Spain and Guadalupe Island), and one Regional focus dedicated to the indigenous peoples of Colombia. The repertoire includes contemporary dance, tradition and interdisciplinary creation, con 28 functions, 500 dancers and an extensive schedule of workshops, laboratories and talks.
The Ramon Llull Institute, the main collaborating agent of Foco Catalan in the Cali Biennial, is the body responsible for the international projection of the Catalan language and culture. Through collaboration agreements and support programs, it generates networks of cooperation and dialogue in all areas of creation, literature and translation, Catalan language and Catalan studies, performing arts, cinema, music, visual arts, design and architecture.
The Fira Mediterrània is the strategic market of the Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia dedicated to Root Arts and is held every year in the city of Manresa with the participation of more than 1,000 professionals in each edition. The Fair promotes laboratory projects that allow young dancers to experience an encounter between cultures through dance.
