Maria Inés Villasmil

Maria Inés Villasmil

Researcher

Department
DAS Research
Research Group
Research Group Embodied Knowledge in Theatre and Dance

Researcher, Embodied Knowledge in Theatre and Dance
Interim Artistic Director, SNDO

Maria Inés Villasmil is a Venezuelan born dancer, choreographer, dance educator, writer, cultural manager and academic researcher with an interest in people, society, social development, multidisciplinary and multicultural work. I have been based in the Netherlands for the last 24 years and I am presently a faculty member at the Academy of Theatre and Dance at the Amsterdam University of the Arts (Amsterdam Hoogeschool voor de Kunsten) where I lead courses in Contemporary Dance Technique, Improvisation Techniques, Choreography and also direct workshops that often integrate real time processes. I hold a MA in Choreography and New Media and a MBA in Cultural Management and Creative Industries from the Salamanca University (Spain). Previously I received two undergraduate BA degrees in Sociology in my native country (Venezuela) and in Choreography and New Media at the SNDO (Choreography Department of the Academy of Theatre and Dance). I have been appointed interim director of the SNDO until December 2021 and have been part of the research group since 2019.

Research

My research revolves around the notion of scores. My courses are organized around a physical practice that is mostly based on the use of (existing or newly-made) choreographical scores and verbal indications. I investigate the relationship between scores and working towards real time composition as a dancer. Within the fixed structure of a score, improvisation is a vehicle to explore the natural intelligence of the body. Unfolding this intelligence inherent to the body in motion is already a goal in itself. Together with my colleague Carly Everaert, who is also part of this research group, we developed a workshop in March 2021 for SNDO/Scenography students around the concept ‘aware-wearing’ (a.o. inspired by Eugenio Barba). Aware–wearing is related to how the wearing of a certain costume impacts the body.  From the somatic point of view this was very interesting for both of us, especially as we were searching for providing a framework to the students and seeing how wearing certain costumes, made from certain materials, would affect the experience of the one (body) who is wearing it, and also the (body) performativity. We used scores to investigate this.

Links
Maria Inés Villasmil Website
Article: Dance in times of corona
Article: CULLBERG / MERCAT DE LES FLORS
Interview with Maria Inés Villasmil
 

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