On 9 and 16 of May, the historic Central Railway Station in downtown Asunción becomes the stage for Poetizar la Ciudad con Danza (Bringing Poetry to the City Through Dance). This interdisciplinary artistic intervention brings together dance, theatre, music, and poetry.
Across five public performances, artists and audiences share the same space as the city is reimagined with movement and live creation. The event takes place with free admission and prior registration, inviting neighbours, families, and artists to participate in a collective cultural experience.
Reconnecting people with their surroundings
“We want dance to exist beyond theatre walls and inhabit the spaces where people live and move,” explains Goretti Rolón, organiser of the project. She describes Poetizar la Ciudad con Danza as a collaborative initiative that brings together dancers, musicians, actors, writers, photographers, and designers.
The goal is to reconnect people with their surroundings and transform public environments into spaces of artistic reflection and encounter.
Reclaiming the city through performance
The project begins with the intention of occupying public plazas across the city. As a result, the historic railway station becomes the chosen location, offering shelter and symbolic meaning.
According to Rolón, “the railway station represents historical memory and emotional presence within the city. By bringing performance into this space, the project invites audiences to reconsider how they perceive environments that are often overlooked in daily life. The station becomes a place of encounter, where art interrupts routine and reactivates public attention.”
Art that speaks through space
The artistic concept behind the project emerges from choreographic workshops led by teacher Edith Correa. In these sessions, artists explore improvisation, physical expression, and the relationship between the body and the spaces it inhabits. Poetry naturally becomes part of the creative process, blending with movement and sound to form a multidisciplinary language of expression.
“There are many people creating art who do not find spaces where they can express themselves.” Through this project, the organisers want to give visibility to those seeking opportunities to share their work. The performances are built through listening and collaboration, allowing each intervention to evolve organically.
Musician José Ariel Ramírez leads the musical and technological dimension of the project, while performers including Marco Mendoza, also known as Bruma, Ruth López, Gabriel Ríos, Joyce, and Paloma Sanabria contribute through dance and theatre. Each artist brings a distinct language, creating a shared artistic performance with interaction and improvisation.
Closer than a stage, closer than a screen
Unlike traditional theatre settings, Poetizar la Ciudad con Danza removes the distance between performer and audience. Spectators are placed within the same space as the artists, experiencing movement from only a few steps away. The intervention turns observation into participation, allowing the audience to feel physically surrounded by sound, bodies, and spoken word.
“The role of dance remains the same because we still want to communicate and sensitise people.” However, Rolón emphasises that proximity changes the experience entirely. Instead of watching from a stage, audiences encounter performers in shared space, creating a more immediate and intimate connection between art and viewer.
The project also challenges how artists are perceived in society. Rolón highlights the importance of recognising artistic work as equal to other professions. “We do not want people to see dancers or artists as individuals who are simply performing for entertainment. They have the same importance as journalists, office workers, or anyone contributing to society.”
A city that belongs to everyone
Beyond performance, Poetizar la Ciudad con Danza encourages a broader reflection on how people inhabit urban space. The invitation extends to neighbours, families, artists, and the general public, encouraging broad participation in an open cultural experience. Organisers describe the intervention as a shared space for exchange, where art becomes a meeting point rather than a performance separated from everyday life. Sessions will take place on 9 May at 14:00, 17:00, and 19:00, and on 16 May at 17:00 and 19:00. Entry is free with prior registration. Learn more about the event by following Poetizar la ciudad con danza on Instagram.
“We want people to leave their homes, reconnect with these spaces, and inhabit them again.” For Rolón, the project becomes an invitation to rediscover the city through sensitivity, movement, and collective experience. Art becomes a way to rebuild connections between people and their environment.
The initiative receives support from organisations FONDEC, FEPASA, CRISMAR Eventos, BIT Color, Mauge Lezcano, and Gouva. According to them, this collaboration reflects the collective nature of the project, which brings together cultural institutions, technical teams, and independent artists.
Find out about activities in Paraguay in The Asunción Times’ things to do section.
