Antonio Somera 

I am a Filipinx dance artist and quirky character based in Vancouver, the unceded territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations. I achieved a BFA in contemporary dance from SFU School for the Contemporary Arts, and received a certificate from Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance (SEAD). I have performed internationally in works of Sita Ostheimer, Igor Bacovich & Iratxe Ansa, Manuel Ronda, Mala Kline, KT Niehoff, Flamenco En Route company and OURO Collective. Locally, I interpret works for Julianne Chapple/Future Leisure, Co.Erasga Company, Daina Ashbee and Dancers Dancing.

As a choreographer, I have created works for EDAM Performance Series, SFU Repertory, Shooting Gallery Performance, BLOOM, and 12 Minutes Max.

I also am passionate about street dance, participating in jams and battles and sharing knowledge of waacking to the community.

Integrating my passion for both street dance and contemporary dance techniques, I devote my creative practices to build meaningful experiences through playful investigation.

One of the main reasons for my love of dance is self-expression. Dance has shaped my confidence in myself and to trust my intuition, just some things I struggle with on a day-to-day basis. The other reason why I move is the community. Being able to share and dance with others who have the same intense passion really motivates me to continually learn and do better. The last reason is entertainment and joy. I believe that dance is meant to be shared and enjoyed by as many people possible. If it has uplifted me out of my own discomforts, then I would want to share that experience to others as well.

Photo credit: Teppei Tanabe