INTERVIEW: Personal immigration story inspires ‘Welcome to Imagi*nation’
Photo: DanceAction presents Welcome to Imagi*nation: The Trilogy at the Center at West Park. Photo courtesy of Julia Discenza / Provided by press agent with permission.
DanceAction and the Center at West Park are set to premiere Carmen Caceres’ new dance work called Welcome to Imagi*nation: The Trilogy, which will play at the center, Oct. 27-29. In the piece, audience members choose the direction of the storytelling, instructing the seven dancers in what narrative will evolve on stage. The common denominator in the three parts of the piece is a running commentary on natural resources, labor shortages and immigration policy, according to press notes. In fact, Caceres’ own journey is one of the inspirations for the show.
Caceres was born in Argentina and is now based in New York City. She has taken years to develop this dance work, and its central conceit is the democratizing nature of the art form, allowing the audience to pick and choose the trajectory of the fictional nations showcased in the narrative. No doubt Caceres and her fellow dancers want the audience to experience the conflicts on stage and see how they might connect to conflicts in the real world.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Caceres about Welcome to Imagi*nation. She founded DanceAction 10 years ago and has found much success with the company. Caceres is credited as the conceiver, director and choreographer of this new dance work. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Has the piece changed a lot over the past three years?
Yes, this project was developed and transformed over three years. The initial idea was born right before the pandemic, in January 2020. During the lockdown, we began exploring the seed material to create the foundation for this piece. The circumstances forced us to transform an immersive experience into a virtual interactive piece. As a result, we integrated a system for the audience to participate in voting online and creating their own adventure.
In terms of choreography, I work very closely with the dancers and artistic collaborators. Since many of the cast members changed through these three years, the piece and the different characters have evolved and assumed new personality traits. Each collaborator played a crucial role in creating these personas and left their distinct mark on them, whether they continued in the project until now or only performed in one of its parts.
Today, we can interact with the audience beyond the limitations of remote participation. This allowed us to transform the piece into an immersive experience where viewers can not only get to choose their own adventure but to take an active role on par with the performers.
Is having each performance unique a scary prospect for a dancer?
I never really worry about having a unique performance; I always felt this would come naturally if I am truthful and honest about the ideas I wish to communicate through my work. It has always been vital for me to share a message through each show. I usually think, what is the best way to communicate something important to me? How can I bring awareness to specific topics? Everything that happens after that is the result of this research.
What does the piece say about conflict and the potential for peace in today’s world?
This piece allows the audience to decide on the outcome of many instances of conflict, and because of that, the answers are not always agreeable or peaceful. Rather than presenting the ideal “resolution” of a conflict, this experience offers multiple options that reflect human behavior through history. Whether the answer is positive or negative, the process allows audience members to understand the past through the lens of fictional reality; that, in turn, provides critical insight into what the future may hold. To find peace today, we must know and understand our history and recognize past missteps.
Upon the 10-year anniversary of DanceAction’s founding, do you think the company has achieved its initial goals?
Absolutely! When I started, I was working alone with a group of three dancers. We had to face many challenges, mainly as a result of limited funding. Space rentals alone were a considerable expense, and covering artists’ fees was very difficult for me with my limited resources at the time. Dancers were incredibly supportive and understanding of this reality, but I wanted to compensate them adequately for their tremendous efforts.
After 10 years, I feel that I have been able to find more avenues for funding and better compensate artists and collaborators. The pandemic has pushed performing artists to seek work opportunities that provide more financial security. As a result, many artists, especially in the dance industry, are no longer able to accept part-time, temporary positions for project-based jobs. As a choreographer and director, I feel the responsibility of compensating my artistic collaborators fairly and offering competitive rates, making these work opportunities sustainable for them.
We still have a long way to go, but I’m thrilled with all the progress we have made thus far. The company currently has over 16 members, including eight artistic associates (dancers), two understudies, and multiple collaborators in music, dramaturgy, immersive experience, video, multimedia, and visual arts. This is also the longest and most ambitious project we have ever done, and I couldn’t be happier about the wonderful team that is on board for this experience.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Welcome to Imagi*nation: The Trilogy, presented by DanceAction, will play the Center at West Park, Oct. 27-29. Click here for more information and tickets.
