'ENCUENTRO BOREAL' TRANSFORMS ARCHITECTURE INTO A SPACE FOR DANCE, DIALOGUE, AND RESISTANCE

From May 21 to 23, dancers, choreographers, and companies from different cities came together in Tijuana to share creative processes, critical perspectives, and performance experiences.

For three days, artists, companies, and students transformed the Centro Estatal de las Artes Tijuana into a place for movement, reflection, and connection, where contemporary dance engaged with architecture, the cultural economy, and new approaches to performance-making. The event brought together collectives and companies from the region, So Def Nation from Puebla, students from the Dance program at UABC Mexicali and the Centro de Danza y Producción Escénica de Baja California, as well as independent dancers and dance schools from across Baja California.

Encuentro Boreal grew out of a strategic collaboration between Lux Boreal and the Centro Estatal de las Artes (CEART Tijuana), with the goal of advancing professional development in the performing arts. The event received support from the Coordinación Nacional de Danza, Danza UNAM, the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte, and the Tijuana City Council.

Held from May 21 to 23, Encuentro Boreal created a vibrant atmosphere of learning and creativity. It became an important space for dialogue and training, where choreography, workshops, critical thought, and urban exploration turned CEART Tijuana into a place for artistic exchange and collective creation.

Over the three days, resident groups worked closely together to broaden access to knowledge and support a new generation of performing artists. This year’s participants included So Def Nation from Puebla, Subterráneo Danza Contemporánea, Encontra2 Danza Contemporánea, and Kintzugi Teatro-Danza.

The event also welcomed a delegation of students from the Dance program at the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), Mexicali campus, who traveled to Tijuana to take part in this professional development experience.

The event’s academic and discussion program featured two leading voices in the cultural scene:

“Culture, Dance, and Public Space” workshop with Hayde Lachino: Participants took part in a space for practice and critical analysis led by Lachino, one of Mexico’s leading dance scholars and a member of the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte.

Keynote lectures with Elena Román: “Bodies That Sustain Cartographies: Rethinking Decent Working Conditions in Dance” and “Cultural Rights: An Operational Commitment to the Arts Sector” explored theory, arts administration, and the current landscape of dance. The sessions sparked discussion and offered inspiration to university students and dance professionals alike.

“For students and professionals in Baja California, coming together in spaces like CEART Tijuana and working alongside Lux Boreal is vital. We take away more than technique: we gain shared creative processes and a deeper conceptual perspective, thanks to teachers like Hayde Lachino and Elena Román,” members of the attending dance community shared.

UABC Mexicali’s presence in Tijuana underscored the importance of building connections among the state’s municipalities and strengthening a network of support and exchange that enriches Baja California’s arts community.

Through initiatives like Encuentro Boreal, Lux Boreal and CEART Tijuana reaffirm their commitment to ongoing education and the development of local talent, demonstrating that dance in northern Mexico is more alive and in motion than ever.

This event was made possible with support from the Sistema de Apoyos a la Creación y Proyectos Culturales (SACPC).

To learn more about Lux Boreal, visit www.luxboreal.org.