Luisa Alfonso

MASTERPIECE

Out of her fascinations and frustrations, Luisa Fernanda Alfonso embodies and turns around the archetypes of the Character Dancer and the Mariachi - characterized for being hyper-dramatic, hyper-virtuous and hyper-gendered. Masterpiece explores both their excesses in the tumult of nostalgic and Latin American associations, hijacking the dance from its legitimacy, legacy and traditions. How can we create conditions for these archetypes to exist with us today? How to find pleasure in spaces where we no longer know how to position ourselves? What resonates through our simultaneous fascination and irritation?

In collaboration with composer Peter Rubel and an abundance of loudspeakers, Masterpiece deals with the poetics of building, unbuilding, repeating, modulating, interrupting and abandoning dances and songs, which attempt to exist within consonance and dissonance.

By repurposing loudspeakers as sound sculptures, affect carriers, acoustic partners and lovers, Luisa sentimentally indulges with them in singing covers of El Cascabel by Lorenzo Barcelata, Me Estoy Acostumbrando a Ti by Pepe Aguilar, Te Llevaré by Lisandro Meza, Inocente Probe Amigo and Amor Eterno by Juan Gabriel.

Luisa Fernanda Alfonso is a Colombian dancer based in Germany. She studied modern dance at the Limón Institute in New York, the B.A. in dance at the Folkwang University in Essen and the M.A. Solo/Dance/Authorship at HZT in Berlin. Luisa approaches dance and performance with bitterness, absurdity and humour, as a carefully orchestrated artificial theatrical apparatus. Her work “Masterpiece” has been part of Les Urbaines Festival, TanzNRW Festival, PARK series by Kunstverein Munich, thecarrierbag Festival, Domingo Festival and RAKETE Festival. As a freelance performer Luisa has collaborated with Leila Hekmat, caner teker , Roman Pfeifer, Sanna Helena Berger, Estefanía Álvarez Ramirez, Xenia Koghilaki, Luísa Saraiva, Deva Schubert, Ben J. Riepe, Juan Felipe Amaya, Emilie Gregersen, Armin Hokmi and Kim Dall’armi.

Peter Rubel studied instrumental and electronic composition at the Folkwang University ofthe Arts in Essen with Günter Steinke, Dirk Reith and Michael Edwards, as well as organ with Roland Stangier. During this time he created compositions for various ensembles, tape music and pieces for dance and theater productions. In addition to his work as a composer, Peter Rubel is a member of various ensembles/bands such as Müde, GLIS GLIS, International Music, Laava and The Düsseldorf Düsterboys. His work focuses on long durations, overtones, beats, amplification, polyrhythms and instrumental expansion through electronics.

CREDITS

Concept, sound & performance: Luisa Fernanda Alfonso

Sound & performance: Peter RubelSound & performance: Peter Rubel

Costumes: Isabelle Marie LangeCostumes: Isabelle Marie Lange

Production: HZT Berlin

With special support from: Leila Hekmat, Diego Agulló, Jule Flierl, Stine Janvin, Daniel Ernesto Müller, Shade Théret, Estefanía Alvarez Ramirez, Ernesto Cárcamo, Anna Philippa, MA SODA, Margie Medlin, Maria Camila Alfonso