DanceWorks’ upcoming CoWorks show Mirrors created by Lucy Rupert and Paulina Derbez runs April 25-27 at The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance. In this second interview (the first was with Lucy Rupert), we talk to creator/performer Paulina Derbez. Paulina Derbez is an award winning classical and avant-garde violinist, a Tedx speaker, and author of The Conscious Musician book.
DANCEWORKS: Can you tell us about your work as a musician?
PAULINA: I started musical training at the age of seven and toured Japan when I was eleven and thirteen years old. This experience helped me decide that I wanted to become a professional violinist. I studied at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, Switzerland and recently received my master’s degree in music pedagogy from Escola Superior di Musica from Barcelona. I teach in Toronto and lead conferences, masterclasses, and performances throughout Canada, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. My latest performance was in Vienna with Duo Luna. I perform classical and avant-garde music and my passion is to create interdisciplinary projects.
DANCEWORKS: The new production Mirrors is a collaboration with Lucy Rupert. Have you created with a dancer before?
PAULINA: I have worked with Mexican dancer Rocio Flores. We performed in the show Cuerpo Impulso in a festival at Harbourfront Centre. Working with Lucy Rupert in this production has been a wonderful journey. This is the first time I am combining classical music, Bach, with avant-garde music in an interdisciplinary project. Performing as a character in the work changes the way I play my violin because I have the opportunity to use my voice and body. The coordination of my own movements while playing Bach has been a huge discovery about how my physical movements can influence interpretation. Lucy’s choreography has been an inspiration and shapes the musical phrasing in new ways.
DANCEWORKS: The title of the piece is Mirrors, can you tell us more?
PAULINA: Mirrors tells a story about discovering a precious space within ourselves. A space that was forgotten for a long time but that has always been there. Dance, music, lighting design, and visuals tell the story of a journey as both dancer and musician break paradigms on the stage. Working with Liza Balkan has been very important for us to define the direction of Mirrors. Liza questions every part of the work from a choreographic and musical perspective, as well as, the meaning of our characters.
DANCEWORKS: Thank you, Paulina.
DanceWorks CoWorks presentation of Mirrors runs April 25-27 at The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance. Tickets reservations can be made via email at squashcourtcollective@gmail.com.
