Originally from Iran, Azalia Kaviani is a dancer and visual artist who has been living with cerebral palsy since childhood. She graduated from Concordia University and received support from the MAI (Montreal Intercultural Arts) mentoring program from 2015 to 2017. Although her condition comes with physical challenges, including tension that prevents her from moving freely, she manages to rise above and connect through relaxation and breathing. Her art is a deep expression of life.
Maria Neri has over 30 years of experience in American ballroom and Latin dancing. She earned first place in the Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Eastern Canada Competition in Performing Arts for five years in a row. She also partook in various competitions in the United States, finishing in the top three in Exhibition Cabaret Dancing. Maria is also a coach, choreographer, actor, and performer.
My work is mostly guided by various ideas I try to translate into physical form and share with the audience. I ask the performers the following question: “How does this specific concept stimulate your body?” This research provides me with the basis of the piece’s physical elements. Together, we create a physical language and an imaginary world we can share. The piece is suspended between what I try to communicate and how I communicate it to the audience.