Hi,

It has been a minute since the last one, So here’s a recap:

January.

Mentally and spiritually drained. Exhausted. Defeated. Failing to find optimism, and strength. Giving into the idea of just working my full time job. 8hours a day, nothing else. No dance. No hobbies. No happiness. Yeah, January was rough. 

February.
I had things to look forward to, despite not wanting to actually do them. A 10 day residency in Albuquerque seemed daunting, it seemed like work. Of course dance is work, but do I have to show something as proof? The answer in residency was “no”. Still, my goal was to have 30 minutes of material, a midpoint to this show. Day 5 into the residency I asked folks to show up if they had time, sit on stage in a chair configuration and see me for the first time. I prompted them “I don’t think my community has seen this part of me, these first five minutes on stage. So I’m nervous.” Nervous because they don’t know me and can so easily let go of me. I forget what it’s like to expose yourself to new people, to bare everything you have in that moment. 

March.
I’m writing this in Atlanta on a work trip. Next week there is a plan for me to be in Raleigh for another work trip. The following I plan to renew my Mexican passport, because somehow it feels like an exit strategy. Or in a softer way, a return. Then I go to Mexico City to see Shakira (Shakira). In case you didn’t know, my FAV. Somewhere in between, the dancing, choreographing, rehearsing, collaborator meetings, and writing is happening. 

Part of OMNIVERS through Red Eye, I have been attending some of the New Work 4 Weeks Festival showings. I have met artists in process. Artists fighting, showing up, supporting each other, making art. A reminder we are here. In the next few months I’ll be in the periphery and then sit with them and hear from them on this journey directly. Until then, I offer this first piece of writing to give context.

¡A más!

-José

Past emails, if you’ve missed them.