SPAIN Dances: Choreographic Residency 2023 with Mario González

The Choreographic Residency organized by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain and L.A. Contemporary Dance Company offers a unique experience for Spanish choreographers to work with U.S. dance companies.

SPAIN Dances, the dance program of the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain, is conceived to provide professional opportunities for Spanish dances and choreographers in the United States. The Choreographic Residency aims at fostering artistic dialogue between Spanish and American dancers and choreographers, and serve as an incubator for new or in-process work.

The host company selected for this third edition was L.A. Contemporary Dance Company, as in the two previous ones. The invited choreographer for the 2023 edition were Mario González, and Carolina Alacreu as choreography assistant. This two week-long residency with González concluded with the performance of The Weight of Water by Mario González, as part of the LACDC program The Unseen Hours… a salon series.

The Weight of Water

• Choreographer: Mario González
• Assistant Choreographer: Carolina Alacreu
• Original Composition: AEREA
• LACDC Artists: Edgar Aguirre, Kelle Meschede, Colleen Loverde, Lily Massie, Iyana Monet, Melody Morrow, Dawson Walker
• LACDC Rehearsal Director: Ayesha Orange
• LACDC Executive Director: Napoleon Gladney
• LACDC Artistic Director: Jamila Glass
• LACDC Company Manager: Quinn O’Connor
• LACDC Media Manager: Danielle King

Mario González

Mario González is a performer and choreographer from Badajoz, who grew up in the city of Seville and is currently based in Madrid. He began his dance studies in 2008, traveling around Spain to discover and learn about the urban dance scene.

Subsequently, he decided to continue his studies at the Centro Andaluz De Danza, delving into the world of contemporary dance, which allowed him to explore and identify with new forms of movement while still building upon his previous studies.

His passion for learning led him to travel and work in countries such as Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden and the United Kingdom, where he collaborated with artists from different backgrounds, helping him to broaden his horizons and discover new and emerging forms of expression.

González currently lives in the capital of Spain, although he travels thoughout Europe focusing on developing his interest in teaching. He trains the new generation of dancers at the 180 dance school, in addition to teach in a multitude of national and international workshops. His drive for creation has led him to generate dance pieces such as Phase (a solo piece created in 2018 and performed in several festivals such as SoloDos (Ourense, Spain) or ID Night (Hereford, UK), Club and Si la cabeza hablase (Creations for 180LAB), Overthinking and Relation (both video-dance featured in various international film festivals such as Queer Mvmt Fest, DanzaTTack or Choreoscope among others), La Tarde (performed at the DanseEncore festival in Canada), as well as other creations for Italian companies like DhhD Milano or Padova Danza. He has also choreographed commercial events for well-known brands such as Oracle, L’Oréal or Coca-Cola, as well as music videos for artists like Orovega or Cepeda.

On the performing side, González has worked with Elias Aguirre Company (Spain) on pieces such as Pez Esfinge, FlowerHeads and Empusa Poem, Hani Dance & Cía Z art Company (Germany & Luxembourg) on Out of Range. He has also danced for artists like Aitana (at the Los 40 Music Awards) and worked in TV shows like BSO, choreographed by Iker Karrera.

As an artist and creator, Mario thrives on living new experiences, collaborating with professionals in the art field and challenging himself, aiming to generate content that inspire and impact those who receive it as well as himself.

L.A. Contemporary Dance Company

LACDC has presented work at venues throughout L.A. including Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The Broad Stage, Ford Amphitheatre, L.A. Theatre Center, Odyssey Theatre, Alex Theatre, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Broad Contemporary Art Museum, and Natural History Museum. Other notable performances include Lincoln Center (NYC), Kennedy Center (DC), Newman Center for the Performing Arts (Denver), ODC Theater (San Francisco), Laguna Beach Art Museum, and Palm Springs Art Museum.

The company has also toured internationally with sold out performances in Argentina and New Zealand. In 2018, LACDC was the first American headlining company to perform for Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland.

Additionally, LACDC often expands its reach to collaborate with key artists and brands in the entertainment industry. The company has also collaborated with major brands for the commercial campaigns of Samsung, American Apparel, and Hikvision USA, music videos for Vitamin String Quartet & K-Pop star Sulli, and was recently featured in the Netflix television series Dear White People.