In memory of Nadia Vella

Mexico City (apro). – This duel of Nadia Vera (1983-2015) is still young. Only five years have passed since the tragic news that shocked the Mexican dance world that the anthropologist and producer of the Cuatro x Cuatro International Contemporary Performing Arts Festival was murdered in Xalapa, Veracruz, where she organized the first seven editions of the festival. The subsequent performances took place – in his absence – in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, under the direction of his brother, choreographer and contemporary dancer Shanty. The creation in 2009 of a contemporary festival that dispersed from the capital to the periphery of the Mexican territory illustrates the importance of Nadia Vera for Mexican dance. He continued until 2015.

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She was an outspoken opponent of the anti-human rights government of Javier Duarte in Veracruz (2010-2016), during which the festival took place. process In the same state.
In memory Initiated by her, Espinosa and three other women, Alejandra Negrete, Yesenia Quiroz and Mile Martín, the Arte Para No Olvidarte festival took place in the summer of 2016 in Luz Saviñón 1909, in the Narvarte neighborhood of Mexico City, the site of her five crimes. Until 2019, the street was occupied by photographers, poets, musicians, relatives of the victims and, of course, dancers and choreographers, who mourned in their own language, sharing feelings of loss and demands for justice. In 2020, despite the pandemic making it impossible to gather in public places, the festival did not stop. The fifth edition took place online from July 27 to 31, organized by the Facebook collective account @memorialnarvarte. The audiovisual program broadcast included (short) videos of poetry, music and dance, sent by the affected artists and families to commemorate the absence that unites them.

You can also read: Dedicated to Nadia Dominique Vera, a poem from her mother

Here is a digital retelling of the memories of the dancers and choreographers who participated in the remote mode of the 5th Arte Para No Olvidarte Festival: Day 1: Las Sangres Group, dancer María José González, video dance rememberwho embodies her pain through dancing on the terrace of her house, showing that mourning for Nadia Vera is still young, five years after her murder; Mirtha Luz Pérez Robledo, mother of the founder of the Cuatro x Cuatro International Festival in Veracruz, recites the poem “Let Everything Explode” in memory of Nadia Vera and the radical artists who have not forgotten her; La Liga Tensa, a Mexican-Uruguayan choreographic collective, with video support for mobile text There was a time when nothing made sense (Part I), his relief conveyed the blow his death had on the Mexican Dance Association. They can be seen here

Day 2. No participation of dance artists. Day 3: La Liga Tensa, Mexican-Uruguayan choreographic group, video There was a time when everything became meaningless (Part II) is a large smoke image that never took shape, expressing how dance in the country has been violated by the death of one of its initiators, Nadia. We must not forget that the relatives of other victims also participated through famous videos from their homes, and that it was possible to relive the heart of the original festival in the streets through the video archive of past editions, which was part of the event. The audiovisual broadcast on the day was viewed 1,500 times by viewers and 56 Facebook users shared the show on their personal accounts. You can go to association.

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Day 4: Marabunta Radical Circus from Mexico City performs juggling with video support WildfireEnjoy the torch in slow motion, the word “Justice” in the background of the image and the iconic faces of the Narvat case; Women’s human rights dancer Itzamná Ponce and traditional catrina Kuru in video format. They can be seen here

Day 5, without the participation of dance artists. Since 2015, Mexican dance has felt vulnerable due to the persecution and femicide that have been felt so close. What does one learn about the history of this country through the image of Nadia Vera? The great humanitarian crisis and femicide (without reparations) that we have not yet escaped from are linked to the current movement of mothers of missing daughters. There is another art work related to Nadia Vera. It is about modern dance choreography Rural GravityShantí Vera’s work premiered at the Palace of Fine Arts in 2016 to commemorate the pain caused by this duel that awaits just compensation.