Mar 12–23, 2025
MoMA
In the performance piece Jacklean (in rehearsal), choreographer and dancer Mariana Valencia, in collaboration with artist and musician Jazmin “Jazzy” Romero, probes the ways in which artists embody and portray their communities. This work is an inventive fusion of improvisatory dance, live music, and language, where movement and sound engage in a dynamic, playful dialogue between performers and audience alike. Valencia’s choreography is deeply rooted in experimental dance traditions and comedy, articulated through a queer Latinx sensibility that draws from diverse genres such as cumbia, freestyle, modern, and postmodern dance forms.
The performance explores the concept of individuality within collectivity, challenging conventional boundaries by weaving everyday gestures into complex choreographic narratives. Romero’s music — a polyglot blend of cumbia, punk, jazz, and electronic sounds performed live on synthesizer, guitar, and vocals — provides an evocative soundtrack that inspires and prompts Valencia’s movements. Together, their interplay blurs the lines between rehearsal and performance, creating an atmosphere continuous with exploration, vulnerability, and community engagement. The piece contributes to ongoing dialogues about group identity and relational dynamics within contemporary performance art.
