24 Feb Liony Garcia: Corporeal Decorum

“Corporeal Decorum” is a multidisciplinary performance piece and investigation into the cultural erasure of Miami’s Art Deco District. The piece memorializes important features of the city’s surviving deco architecture; it concretizes elements in both scenography and the body itself. Drawing inspiration from earlier examples of architectural preservation in Miami Beach, the choreography reinterprets Miami’s urban and material past as a contemporary embodied form. The work deals with themes of loss, place, and ephemeral.

Reconstructing the past, Corporeal Decorum invites the viewer into a world where the factual and the imaginary overlap. Architectural remnants are unearthed, their fragments translated and made visible through the expression of the body. In a series of tracing decorative patterns, the space is embroidered by the dancer’s arms, their body curling gracefully through alternately floral and geometric nodes, exemplifying the robust vitality of nature and in turn its geometric abstraction.

The scenery contrasts the built environment with the ephemeral temperament of nature. Architectural facades are deconstructed and redesigned as modular set pieces, which the dancer reconfigures throughout the performance. They serve to recall vanished architectural layouts. Acrylic sculptures by projection artist True Harrigan act as prisms of refracted light that illuminate the stage. The scenery is animated by video projections which visually transpose defining features of Art Deco ornamentation, motifs, and color.

Corporeal Decorum is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Miami Light Project, The Ringling and NPN. This performance is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

APRIL 7, 8, 9 at Miami Theater Center

• Liony Garcia

Apr 7, 8, 9, 2022 8:00 p.m. Corporeal Decorum choreographed by Liony Garcia at Miami Theater Center. Commissioned and presented by Miami Light Project. 

Corporeal Decorum is a new project by Liony Garcia that memorializes important elements of Miami Beach’s Historic Deco Architecture. The performance documents and preserves Miami’s iconic architecture through movement and scenery.

Liony Garcia is a queer choreographer and dancer based in Miami, Florida, his latest piece Corporeal Decorum, is a multidisciplinary performance piece that explores the cultural erasure of Miami’s Art Deco District. Drawing inspiration from earlier examples of architectural preservation in Miami Beach, the choreography reinterprets Miami’s urban and material past as a contemporary embodied form. The performance invites the viewer into a world where the factual and the imaginary overlap in reconstructing the past. Architectural remnants are unearthed. Their fragments are translated and made visible through the expression of the body and the acrylic sculptures by projection artist True Harrigan, acting as prisms of refracted light and manipulated throughout the piece to illuminate animate the scenery. The piece memorializes important features of the city’s surviving deco architecture; it joins elements in both scenography and the body itself, contrasting the human-built with the ephemeral temperament of the natural environment.

More information: https://miamilightproject.com/event/corporeal-decorum-liony-garcia/

What:             Corporeal Decorum choreographed by Liony Garcia

When:            Apr 7, 8, 9, 2022 8:00 p.m.

Where:          Miami Theater Center (9806 NE 2nd Ave, Miami Shores, FL 33138)

Cost:              $25 | $15

Tickets:         https://www.eventbrite.com/e/liony-garcia-corporeal-decorum-tickets-265693023987

+ info:             https://miamilightproject.com/event/corporeal-decorum-liony-garcia/ | 305.576.4350 or 305.751.9550

Out in the Tropics will present daring and innovative performances showcasing artists and projects that address gender politics, sexuality, and the LGBTQ identity. Featuring: Corporeal Decorum choreographed by Liony Garcia, Requiem por un Alcavarán by Lukas Avendaño, Sadonna a musical performance by Miguel Gutierrez, Trópico de Covadonga by Rodrigo Cuevas; Andares by Makuyeika Theatre Collective; Milonga, Sonata y Plata by Marco Flores; a literary reading and art exhibit by Ena Columbie; and Latin Standards by Marga Gomez among others.

FUNDarte is a multidisciplinary non-profit organization dedicated to producing, presenting, and promoting music, theater, dance, film, and visual arts that speak to Miami’s diverse cultures with an emphasis on Hispanic/Latino arts and culture. FUNDarte particularly works to nurture emerging artists and those with little or no exposure to South Florida audiences; facilitate intercultural and international exchanges; and provide local audiences and artists with educational opportunities that expand their creative, critical, and social perspectives. Visit us at www.fundarte.us for more information about our exciting and diverse live programming.

Don’t miss Out in the Tropics

(APRIL 7 – MAY 7)