After our “New Voices” performance closed, Jean Isaacs and company dancer John Diaz took the “Hunters” choreography to Mexico City. Here is John’s recount of the experience, with a few pics along the way:
I had an amazing time while in Mexico for a number of reasons, although I had my reservations before traveling to the country. So much in the media about the latest news of the war on drugs in that country, the amount of murders since this campaign started six or so years ago, and the travel advisory from the US state department had me thinking I was to walk into a country under martial law. As I arrived into Coyoacan under a balmy thunderstorm, I began to feel at ease.
Reestablishing a working relationship with the dancers of the company Nemian was easy, although the language recall was a pretty steep curve ( only 2 years of spanish in college). The dancers are excellent as any I have met and they learned ‘Hunters’ in only two weeks.
I also had the opportunity to teach at the National school of Dance in the Polanco district of Mexico City. The students there were eager to learn a different perspective from the rigors of their studies and I was happy to share my knowledge. I was able to teach the 4th year students as Rosario Verea Nava (a dancer with Nemian) was so gracious to lend me her class for the week.
The sights and people were so wonderful I hardly have enough time to list it all. In short, the people were generous and down to earth, the sights were surreal as old juxtaposed new, and the pace of life made me question my own familiar American rhythm…
Thanks for that lovely recount John, and what a wonderful adventure!
