Dancer Nicole Pedraza and visual artist Diageo Leon Lang perform "Palitroque", one of four works in the Miami Light Project "Here and Now" program taking place this week at Miami Theater Center in Miami Shores.
Four new works created by Miami artists Nina Osoria Ahmadi, Clinton T. Harris, Diego Melgar and a collaborative work by dancer Nicole Pedraza and visual artist Diago Leon Lang will be showcased in the 29th annual Miami Light Project “Here and Now” event taking place this week on three consecutive evenings from Thursday, Feb 26 through Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. at Miami Theater Center in Miami Shores.
“The project existed to encourage our local artists in South Florida to emerge and grow in gaining recognition,” said Beth Boone, the artistic director of Miami Light Project since 1999.
Each of the projects gives a unique interpretation by the artist on cultural issues in Miami. For example, dancer Clinton T. Harris explores how gay, gender and transgender identities have evolved in his work, a film titled “Bonnie Where’s/Wears Clyde.”
“The dance shows how female energy has historically been interpreted through heterosexual norms which masked the feminine energy that is evident in gay and transgender identities,” said Harris.
“What is exciting about the work is that my collaborators and I through dance, film and music show that Bonnie is Clyde and we grab the audience by the heart through this work. It is deeply emotional and shows both the feminine and masculine energies co-existing.”
Harris is in his ninth year dancing with the Global Dance Company He has collaborated with musician Imani Lewis Shirley, who wrote the score for “Bonnie Where’s/Wears Clyde.” Others who collaborated with Harris and Shirley on the 15-minute film are Larry Anderson, film director Lyric Dixon, Arsimmer McCoy, Naphtali Rosenberg, Ethan Telfort and Ali Wisdom.
Artist and educator Nina Osoria Ahmadi showcases her 25-minute performance titled “The Sky, The Sky” which is a satirical look at the world through music and dance.
“Together with my collaborators, I wanted the audience to experience what we now know to be chaos and drama, especially as seen politically,” said Ahmandi.
Jazz artist Diego Melgar performs "Swamp Lily" as one of four works in the Miami Light Project "Here and Now" program taking place this week at Miami Theater Center in Miami Shores.
“The setup of the performance is to start with joyful music, then evolving into dramatic, funky and loud music. The audience will feel and see the energetic movements of the dancers that create the contemporary world that we live in.”
Ahmadi performs “The Sky, The Sky” with four dancers and three musicians performing on the bass, drum and piano.
Jazz guitarist Diego Melgar composed the 20-minute ballet titled “Swamp Lily” exploring the environmental relationship between Miami and its marshland, blending dance, music and visuals to illustrate the conflict between urban density and the need for protecting the marshland.
“Miami is the classic example of a growing urban city that is in conflict with its growth as the natural tropical landscape is being threatened, so ‘Swamp Lily’ looks deeply at the conflict,” said Melgar.
Among many of the collaborators who perform in "Swamp Lily” are dancers Junior Domingos and Nicole Pedraza. The dancing duo illustrate the urban vs environment conflict with Pedraza portraying a swamplike creature.
“Swamp Lily” has Melgar using the musical genres of electronic, gospel, jazz and rhythm and blues in creating drama with the contrasting sounds of a still pond and torrential storms through the use of bass, drums, guitar and vibraphone. Another collaborator, singer Dani Amaro showcases her dramatic vocal range in the song, also called “Swamp Lily” that brings raw emotion to the conflict.
Artist Nina Osoria Ahmadi performs "The Sky, The Sky" as one of four works in the Miami Light Project "Here and Now" program taking place this week at Miami Theater Center in Miami Shores.
“I am proud of the work that has been created with the help of all our collaborators. This is a fever pitch that personifies the depth of the environmental change we are experiencing,” said Melgar.
Pedraza teams with visual artist Diago Leon Lang in creating a 20-minute dance titled “Palitroque”. The duo create a story through dance of the immigration experience. Lang’s family is from Cuba and Pedraza’s ancestry is from Nicaragua.
“Palitroque” involves choreography by Pedraza showcases the themes of nostalgia and uncluttered history.
IF YOU GO
- WHAT: Miami Light Project presents “Here and Now” featuring four works by artists by Nina Osoria Ahmadi, Clinton T. Harris, Diego Melgar and the duo of Nicole Pedraza and Diago Leon Lang.
- WHERE: Miami Theater Center, 9806 NE Second Ave. in Miami Shores
- WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday Feb. 26, Friday Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28
- TICKETS: $33.37 general admission, $22.92 seniors and students
- INFORMATION: (305) 576-4350 or go to miamilightproject.com
