Camilo Mejia - VAIVÉN

This residency is part of the first phase in the creation of the dance performance VAIVÉN.
In this project, I explore the concept of identity through my relationship with the genre of salsa. The idea of vaivén —which in Spanish refers to the alternating movement of a body from side to side— serves as the central axis for the construction of the piece. Just as identity processes involve a transit between the different aspects of being, in VAIVÉN I navigate the intersection of my experiences of Blackness, migration, and sexual dissidence, moving through memories, to experiences that have marked my life.

Inspired by the concept of the rhizome from the Martinican thinker Édouard Glissant, VAIVÉN proposes that there is no single root that defines the individual; instead, it speaks of a network of branches that constitute identity. In VAIVÉN, I bring this concept of the rhizome into a more familiar and also rhizomatic imaginary: the mangrove.

VAIVÉN proposes a mangrove of comings and goings. Here, the mangrove appears as a space for reinvention, revision, reflection, and imagination.

An important question I will pose is:
What is identity, really, and how much does it define who we are? How do we live in conversation with it?
Is there room for escape — a space of fugitivity?

The project arises from previous research into my relationship with salsa, revealing how the personal, the collective, the artistic, the socio-political, and the spiritual are in constant and total conversation, shaping identity.

During this first residency, I will explore a concept that interests me deeply: the mangrove body. What is a mangrove body within VAIVÉN?

The idea of vaivén, that oscillating movement between one point and another, perfectly represents the transit between the different elements that shape identity. It is both a place of origin and one of constant transformation.

TEAM / CREDITS

Dramaturgy: José Ramón Hernández
Outside eye: Nicole Geertruida
Music: Clay Chénière
Costumes: Patricia Mokosi
Scenography: Spela Tusar
Light: Pier Gallen
Management Anaku

"My artistic interest began with salsa dance in Cali, where I was born. Dance became a way for me to navigate emotions and understand reality. That’s why I decided to transition from nursing to dance and pursued training in Barcelona, which from day one felt like the right choice. My professional career in contemporary dance started in 2018 at SEAD in Salzburg. I had the opportunity to tour with the school’s company in a production by Cecilia Bengolea, which was my first real experience in a professional setting. After graduating, I worked on L'incoronazione di Poppea (2018) at the Salzburger Festspielhaus, directed by Jan Lauwers, marking my first step into the Belgian scene. At Needcompany, I worked for 5 years on 4 productions that toured internationally. This broadened my horizon, allowing me to explore new artistic disciplines, such as music and vocal work.

Thanks to Needcompany’s network, I was able to perform at venues like Kaaitheater, VIERNULVIER, Toneelhuis, and internationally at places such as Teatros del Canal (Madrid), Teatro Nacional Dona Maria II (Lisbon), and Maison de la Culture Bobigny (Paris). The extensive touring taught me a lot about the international performing arts sector.

In 2020, I joined Ula Sickle for her project The Sadness, which premiered in September of that year at Beursschouwburg. The project combines music and movement in a dialogue about the end of times, nostalgia, and sad rap. This project introduced me to songwriting, vocal work, poetry, and opened up a space for co-authorship, both in writing and conceptualizing movement, which allowed me to have an influence on the final outcome.

After this inner search, in 2020, I joined Pablo Lilienfeld and Federico Vladimir for the piece Draconis Lacrimae, which premiered in Madrid in 2021. We created "role-play characters" to explore issues of identity and the boundary between fiction and reality. During this process, spirituality became increasingly intertwined with my artistic world. I returned to the spiritual practices of the Pacific South of Colombia and the African diaspora, which strengthened my connection to my own identity and Afro-history.

My work combines artistic, socio-political, and spiritual elements. This was evident in my collaboration with Moya Michael in OUTWALKERS, where we explored themes such as ritual and heritage. In 2021, I was also invited by Cherish Menzo for D̶A̶R̶K̶MATTER, an intensive tour that sparked my desire to create my own works. This search led to my own research, which I shared through intimate performances, such as at Beursschouwburg and Gesnerallee. Finally, in November 2024, I will dive into the final phase of the research at Theater Rotterdam, before starting the creation. TR invited me and three other artists as part of Welcome to Our Guesthouse. This research program offers a place and resources to explore a proposal that will be shared with the public and curators at the end. This opportunity feels like an artistic playground for me, which will close the research phase and lay a solid foundation for the creation of the final dance performance."