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I am a multicultural and interdisciplinary dance artist, and my practice is rooted in highlighting our everyday life through movement, presence and choreography. I have a background in both modern and theatrical jazz, and have an extensive practice within salsa styles (on 1 and on 2, mambo, chachacha, mambo, pachanga, boogaloo) and street styles (dancehall, heels, girly). As a performer, I have experience working in Mexico, France and Norway. I believe dance can start processes to deal with uncertainty, by creating space for dialogue, with ourselves and with others.

I have worked as a performer and co-creator for a variety of choreographic works. In teaching, I use technique and musicality as base go far and let go, between accents and fluidity, impulses and suspensions, weight shifts, and a strong relationship to the ground.

 

Through my practice I investigate the critical role of dance and movement with the notions of impermanence, belonging, grounding, the somatic and physical practice of space, and reappropriation. I find myself drawn towards the harmonious fusion of jazz and its inherent musicality, a blend that evokes an entire spectrum of expressions, telling stories that are poignant and captivating. At the heart of my practice is the core belief in dance as a space-creating, socially-engaged art form, a powerful tool for fostering connections, empathy, and a collective identity. My work is committed to facilitating creative spaces that encourage active engagement, movement, and creating a bond through movement and performativity.

I currently work as a freelance dance artist and dance teacher, and with participatory projects that create space for art and culture in public places, based in Oslo and Stavanger.

About 

Stage and Teaching Experience
(selected projects)

Stories of home         HAMAR PERFORMANCEFESTIVAL 2023/VESTANDPAGE/KUNSTBANKEN

Dancer

I move as I write / I write as I move     TEGNETRIENNALEN 2023/ V.MARTINEZ /M. COLE

Concept and choreographer

WELCOMING       V. MARTINEZ /L. PERROT/ MOMENTUM 12

Choreographer - *Støttet av Kulturrådet - Prosjektstøtte Fri Scenekunst 2023

Bsic Stitch         N.GARNER/ I. DAMON/DANSIT / JØDISK KULTURFESTIVAL

Dancer

Kunst er død – kortfilm Nordisk Film  I. ÅASE / V. MARTINEZ

Choreographer

CROSSINGS   V. MARTINEZ / J. MORA/ OSLO JAZZDANSFESTIVAL 2022 / ÅPEN SCENE - DANSEKUNST I ØSTFOLD
Choreographer / Dancer

Weather Forecast.       J.SIVERTS /NASJONALMUSEET

| June - July 2022

Dancer

Impossible Actions  YASEN VASILEV / ROSENDAL TEATER/DANSIT 

| February 2022

Dancer

HJEM - workshop Grønland seniorsenter  V. MARTINEZ/ TENTHAUS 

  *Supported by Helsedirektoratet  | November 2021

Workshop holder / performer

Oslo Caribbean Feeling: «Marie Laveaux» & «Bilongo»  M. PRICHODKO / SALSANOR TRD | October 2021

Dancer

ALDA – a Nordic Dance performance installation by Katrín Gunnarsdóttir – Research workshop | September 2021 & March 2023

Dancer

SalsaNor performance under Lilleby Festivalen and Levende Bygater | August & September 2021 

Dancer

Workshops for children and youth – Skapende dans / Jazzdans / Moderne dans – Sommer I Trondheim & Sommerdans Orkanger | June, July, August 2021

Workshop holder - dance

Pulling – KIT & Amalia Wiatr Lewis | June 2021

Dancer

En annen dans - Aksjonen under Dansens Dag  – Senter for Dansepraksis | April 2021

Dance teacher

Trondheim Kommunale Kulturskole | March 2020 - Ongoing

Substitute dance teacher

SalsaNor Trondheim | August 2020 - Ongoing

Salsa teacher

Some Things Last a Long Time - Jasper Siverts, Nasjonalmuseet, Kunsthall Trondheim, DansiT | October 2020

Dancer and panelist

"Welcome Act I / II" - Mørkerommet Rosendal Teater | September 2020​ 

Artistic collaboration - performer

Equinor Trondheim | January - March 2020

Salsa teacher

Melhus Onstage | August 2019 - December 2020

Dance teacher

Pointe | August 2018 - July 2020

Dance teacher

Latin Weekend SalsaNor Trondheim | May 2019

Dancer

Skogn Folkehøgskole | 2017 - 2019

Dance teacher

Faust Opera | March 2019

Dancer and soloist

11th Nordic Salsa Experience | March 2019

Dancer

SalsaNor Trondheim Yearly show | June 2018

Lead dancer and co-coreographer for Groovin' Dance Company 

Ongoing Training 

Peridance Capezio | Heels, commercial, modern | Baardar

Dance Explosion | Commercial, jazz  | Baardar

SalsaNor Trondheim  | Salsa on 2  | Magda Prichodko

NTNUI Avansert partier : Girly Hip hop, Jazz, Moderne

DansiT Trondheim | PRODA Oslo

Galen Hooks Method Alumnus as of April 2019 

Lax Studio | Modern, Heels and Commercial | Julia Spiesser | Nadine Timas | Jerky Jessy

Studio Harmonique Paris | Modern jazz| Laure Demollière, Yanis Marshall

Studio MRG | Ragga Jam | Laure Courtellemont

Pineapple Studios London | Contemporary | Lucas McFarlane, Mark Battersfield

Lax Studio Paris| Modern Jazz | Frederic Jean-Baptiste

Broadway Dance Center New York | Jazz on heels | Yanis Marshall

Freelance jazz and elegance on heels (Berlin) | 2017

Denses Journées de la Danse festival | 2015

Troupe dancer

Salsa Jazz Company | Weekly salsa and bachata classes | 2014 - 2016

Teaching assistant

The Mambo Cats Company | Weekend Shows | 2011 - 2012

Lead dancer

Tec de Monterrey Dance Company  | 2009 - 2011

Troupe dancer

Salsa y Tumbao Company | 2009 -2011​

Salsa Dancer for bi-monthly shows

Dance light | 2007 - 2010

Dancer and choreographer for yearly shows

Tropisamba Company | 2006​

Research Residencies

P1 – Mobil Atelier – Tenthaus, Saupstad, Norway

Dance and movement awareness during COVID pandemic - Work with teenagers from middle and high school in Saupstad

ZK/U – Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanismus, Berlin, Germany

Research residency – on temporality, artistic experience, presence and participation

Modern jazz dance teacher for weekly classes

Collaborative Projects (selected works)

CROSSSINGS   | June / September 2022

Dance - co-coreographer

Welcoming Acts   | March 2022​ 

Dancer - co-choreographer

"Et Hav av Muligheter - Dans 5 Rhytmer Trondheim - TV Aksjonen 2020   | October 2020​ 

Dancer

Virus & Valsen påskespesial | April 2020​ 

Dancer

Groovin' Heels Dance Company | 2018​ - 2019

Dancer and Co-Choreographer

Ladies Show Team | SalsaNor Trondheim | 2017​ - Ongoing

Dancer

Salsa Jazz Company | 2014 - 2016​

Dancer and Choreographic Collaborator

Isis Figaro Company, Paris FR | Tierra de Sueños musical | 2013​

Dancer

Andy de Groat Contemporary, Paris FR | Denses Journées de la Danse | 2012​

Dancer

Dance Education

Jazz, modern, ballet | 2000 - 2010

Andalon Academy (Mexico)  2000 - 2004

Dancelight (Mexico) 2004 - 2007

Ensamble Tec de Monterrey (Canada) 2007 - 2011

​École de Danse de Québec (Canada) 2009 - 2010

Professionalizing jazz and ballet course - Pirouetteando 2010

Salsa | 2007 - 2012    

Salsa y Tumbao (Mexico) 2007 - 2010

Quatre épices 2011 - 2013

New York Salsa Congress 2017- Eddie Torres, Adolfo Indacochea, Karel Flores, Ataca y la Alemana among others 

 

* Regular Social dancer in LA style since 2010 and New York style since 2014

Hip hop, dance hall | 2011- 2020

Ragga and hip hop with Guillaume Lorentz (France) 2011 - 2016

Flying Steps (Germany)  2013 and 2017

Commercial hip hop with Jerky Jessy (Paris  2016 - ongoing)

Street jazz and hip hop with Candace Brown and Jonte (Broadway Dance center New York)  2017 and 2018, Shaun Niles, Jerky Jessy, Nicolas Hulot and Rob Rich 2019

© 2023 by Valentina Martinez

               @vallerina.maris

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