Tears and Honey
"Lágrimas e Mel" (which translates to "Tears and Honey") is an hour-long contemporary dance performance choreographed collaboratively. The evening is split into three parts: the first referring to tears, the second explores honey and the third embodies the mix between both of them.
Tears and honey are known to be natural products that do not decompose and have multiple different meanings across cultures. With that in mind, Carmen worked with Claire Lane and Leah Misano to explore the textures that both those elements inspire in movement qualities. Through thorough multimodal research, the project became a reflection on times of extreme polarization and how survival and resistance manifest in our bodies.
About the work
What started as a post-show conversation, became a concept to be explored in this evening-length performance. Be careful with what you tell me; you might be the next kickstarter.
Lá-Grimas
The exploration of extremes
"Lágrimas" translates to tears, whereas "Lá" means over there and "grimas" means anger, hate and/or resentment. The title plays with all three words that come together to frame the conceptual exploration of the work.
Considering tears typically occur in expressions of extremes – extreme joy, frustration, anger, sadness, to name a few – this section of the evening takes you on a voyage from that light and silly giggle that you just can't stop to that deeper place that you may sometimes spiral yourself into. Get lost in the waves of emotions coming your way.
Mel - e - anina
Honey: nutritious, dense, rich and still liquid
"Mel" translates to honey, "Anina" is the head of a nail and "Melanina" means melanin. These three come together as a reminder of how sometimes resistance is sweet, dense and rich, yet it is met with the harshness of metal and typically and historically led by people of color.
Across cultures, honey has represented wealth, divinity, and health and we examine the richness of honey as a symbol of nourishment, resistance, and transformation. Its slow, steady nature and its refusal to degrade reflect a form of resistance that feels aligned with the perseverance so many populations have had (and continue to strengthen while under the current administration’s threat). The choreography draws from these themes and invites reflection on how something so gentle can be so enduring.
Diz Solução
Dissolving is not the only way to mix
"Dissolução" translates to dissolving. "Diz" is to say, and "solução" is solution. The title plays with the concept that dissolving is a said solution, implying it is not the only one available – and potentially not the option we should take by default.
This section blends the symbolism and qualities of both honey and tears, exploring what emerges when two opposing forces – sweetness and sorrow, nourishment and release, density and fluidity – interact. Like mixing two distinct liquids, their union forms intricate, layered patterns. This part of the work will be an exploration of coexistence, showing how contrasting elements can create something profoundly new, honest, and healing.
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