nowHERE vol.2
Searching for a place of belonging. Finding newfound love for a chosen land. "Nowhere" is a 15-minute, site-specific dance in which three generations of Brazilian woman artists reflect on their shared experiences as culturally estranged immigrants. Amok Project's lead artist Carol Mendes, dance artist Ysadora Dias, and musician Daniella Gramani embrace a melting pot of cultural influences, exploring traditional dances and music from Brazilian culture through a contemporary performance lens. "Nowhere" is a love letter to being a Brazilian immigrant.
Carol Mendes
Amok Project
CAROL MENDES (she/her) is a movement director and teaching artist who explores the intersection of contemporary dance, ballet, somatics research, and cultural heritage empowerment. Hailing from Brazil, she lives and creates on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-waututh Nations. She holds an MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from NYU, Tisch School of the Arts (USA), a BFA in Dance, and a dance pedagogy certification from UNICAMP (Brazil). As the founder of the Amok Project, she creates dances and facilitates cross-disciplinary initiatives. Through a female lens, she focuses on decolonizing practices and respecting multicultural identities and diverse experiences.
Photos by Sheng Ho featuring performers Ysadora Dias and Daniella Gramani
Contact Information
Website: http://www.danceamok.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/danceamok/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amok.project/
Email: danceamok@gmail.com
Details of the work:
Choreographer: Carol Mendes
Performers & Co-creators: Ysadora Dias and Daniella Gramani
Year of creation: 2022/23
Length of work: Performance only: 15 min (up to three times/day) Performance + workshop: 1hr 15 min
Preparation time required on site: 1hr minimum
Technical requirements required on-site: We need an open space, flat. We are happy to adapt and discuss site-specific performance possibilities. There’s flexibility within the work to adapt it to non-traditional performing spaces. Sound logistics: the piece has live acoustic music. But for a larger outdoor venue, a cordless mic for the musician would be recommended.
Space required: Indoors: Minimum performance area: 20m x15m (no concrete flooring please) Outdoors: Minimum performance area: 25m x 20m (grass preferred)
Community Engagement, nowHERE vol2:
nowHERE vol.2 is: The voice of newcomer artists; Intergenerational; Female-centered and LGBTQ+ represented. Multi-racial and afro Brazilian; Contemporary dance that honors traditional heritage and culture; Additionally, the Amok Project artists can jointly facilitate a movement and music workshop fostering improvisation and creation. Carol Mendes is a seasoned creative lab facilitator. She will guide artists and non-artists on a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and cultural heritage. We will dance and sing together to explore aspects of nonHERE and this search for identity and belonging that's intrinsic to all people.