Embracing Opportunity in Paraguay
Laura Guy’s journey to South America emerged from a blend of chance and opportunity, illustrating how transformative travel can be. After spending over 13 years in Berlin, the harsh winters began to take a toll on her and her partner, who is more accustomed to warmer climate. Seeking a break, the opportunity arose to explore an unexplored artistic landscape. With a track record of travelling and working across various continents – Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the Americas – this was her chance to immerse in the vibrant artistic community of South America. As a dancer, she wanted to know how it was like to perform here. Paraguay is a country that likes every type of dance, from traditional to contemporary dance, and thus a great setting for someone like her.
Laura Connecting With Local Artists
Upon arriving in Paraguay, a sense of restful energy and an atmosphere filled with possibility became immediately apparent to Laura. This welcomed ambiance fostered connections, one of which was with Bethaina Joaquinho of the Bethaina Joaquinho Dance Company. Her warmth and openness provided a gateway into the local artistic scene. It unveiled layers of creativity and collaboration. Another significant figure encountered was Simone Herdrich from the Goethe Institute, who played a crucial role in further opening artistic avenues in Asunción for Laura. Through her encouragement, Espacio E emerged as a vital hub, marked by a passionate team eager to embrace new projects, such as Laura’s. She was welcomed with open arms and later this week, she will present her work.
Transforming Creative Plans
Initially, Laura’s visit was limited to presenting a short version of a solo piece in development for nearly two years as part of the “Movement & Joy Initiative.” However, the creative environment at Espacio E catalysed a shift in plans, leading to an invitation to showcase a full version across multiple performance evenings. Although this endeavour was intended to materialise later in Europe, the serendipitous opportunity in Paraguay prompted a quick decision to embrace it fully. Support was abundant, especially from partner Artur Butvilovsky, who contributed significantly to the creative process, along with playwright Liron Kichler, musician David Guy, and artistic mentor Angela Fegers.
Engaging With Artistic Communities In Buenos Aires
The journey continued to Buenos Aires, where collaborations and exchanges flourished at venues like La Fabrica Espacio de Arte and Espacio EK/Espacio Cultural, enabling connections with remarkable artists. Returning to Asunción, preparations for Laura’s solo show’s premiere became the focal point of this artistic exploration.
Experiencing Generosity And Collaboration
Throughout this experience, the overwhelming generosity and camaraderie of the local artists were deeply moving. Bethaina and her company offered unparalleled kindness, providing a nurturing creative space that allowed the opportunity to dive deep into the work. Laura said: “I was deeply touched by the enormous generosity and beautiful connection I found here. Bethaina and her company welcomed me with incredible kindness, offering me a creative space that allowed me to fully immerse myself in my work. It is rare and precious to meet artists who open their doors like this, simply out of a love of sharing and creating.” Such openness is a rare and invaluable treasure in the artistic realm, centred around the joy of sharing and creating together.
Finding Inspiration In Passionate Expression
South America resonates with an intense and unrestrained passion that inspires artists like Laura Guy to innovate and take risks, despite challenges. This fervour mirrors the intrinsic motivation found in dance — the visceral impulse that propels the body into motion and expression. The shared energy in this artistic community reinforces the belief in the transformative power of movement. Even with language barriers, dance transcends verbal communication, creating connections rooted in a mutual pursuit of expression and creativity.
This powerful experience, marked by collaboration and dedication to the arts, instills a profound sense of gratitude for Laura to create in an environment where art is revered and cherished. “Even with the language barrier, dance creates a bridge. We understand each other through movement, in this shared search for expression and sharing. What I am experiencing here is a powerful one, and I’m grateful to be able to create and share in a place where art is held with such dedication.”
Movement & Joy With Laura Guy
On April 8, and 10 at 7 PM, and on April 12 at 3:30 PM, Espacio E and Laura Guy are offering a Movement & Joy session open to the public. For more information about these events, you can contact Espacio E on Instagram.
La Petite Laura At Espacio E
Laura is going to be presenting her work very soon at Espacio E. It is on April 3, 4, and 5 and it is presented at 8:30 PM each time. The cost is 50K Guaraníes if you buy now, which is around slightly over 6 American Dollars or slightly under 6 Euros. At the door, the price will be of 60K Guaraníes. There will be a live Q&A after the show. For more information on how to get tickets, you can also contact Espacio E via Instagram. If you want to see more of her work, you can also follow Laura Guy on Instagram.
Where: Espacio E
When: April 3,4, & 5
Time: 8:30 PM
Cost: 50K Gs.
