Nightstand
“Paying homage to the extravagant fantasy world of the artist’s mind, Nightstand is an improvised solo that invites the viewer into the moments of intimacy, wonder, and absurdity that take place in one’s bedroom. By reenacting the physical memory of the artist’s personal moments in her bedroom, this work aims to inspire the audience to allow their wildest ideas come to life, especially when they think no one is watching.” Cecilia Andrea Benitez was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she attended New World School of the Arts High School. She earned her BFA in modern dance with a minor in psychology from Point Park University in 2020. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Scholarship upon graduation. In the spring of 2019, she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain at the Conservatorio de Danza Superior "María de Avíla". There she worked closely with distinguished choreographer Mario Bermudez Gil. Upon graduation she worked as a freelance artist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania performing with an improvisation-based company The Pillow Project under the direction of Pearlann Porter. She also served as the lead dancer and rehearsal director in the original production of Milton created by Kaylin Horgan. Now a freelance dancer and teacher based in Miami, she dances for Rosie Herrera Dance Theater and Syncopate Collective, while also choreographing and teaching for various schools and programs. Her work has been featured in ScreenDance Miami, Pioneer Winter's Grass Stains, as well as Miami Light Project's Here and Now 2022 program, where she premiered her work Manteca in collaboration with Stephanie Perez. When not dancing, you can find her reading, biking, writing letters, or making Cuban coffee. |
Fluxus Nervousa
Over the last five years, I've been collecting audio clips on my phone of moments I want to remember. A mix of poems, friends, lovers and everything in between. Each memory was selected based on how strongly it activated my nervous system and its ability to transcend time and space. A moment becomes immortalized through a 5-second sound bit and I'm transported exactly back to where I was. Weaving in and out of the landscape of my mind, I allow the body to remember things my brain never could. Maya Billig is a Miami-based choreographer, director, and dancer. A cross between fantasy and reality, her work is rooted in building surreal, hybrid worlds through the mediums of dance, film, and photography. Her work has been supported by the Knight Foundation, Jacob’s Pillow, Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami Light Project, Locust Projects, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Deering Estate. Her dance films have been screened in 5 countries thus far. Besides receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from New World School of the Arts, Maya has trained heavily in contemporary dance, physical theater, and improvisational techniques throughout the US, Europe, Israel, and Australia. A vagabond at heart, she has traversed 31 countries and plans to spend her life exploring the world through movement. mayanadinedance.com |