Opportunity for experimentation: 'CONTRA_FORMA' brings contemporary, jazz and flamenco dance to UNM's X Theatre

Albuquerque’s contemporary dance scene is set to be invigorated by “CONTRA_FORMA,” an evening-length performance premiering Friday, Jan. 17, and Sunday, Jan. 18, at the University of New Mexico’s X Theatre.

Created and performed by Elyse Fahey and Madrone Matysiak, the show combines contemporary, jazz and flamenco dance styles. It features celebrated local and international artists, including Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company principal dancer Kayla Lyall, UNM head of dance Donna Jewell, and professor emeritus of dance at UNM, Eva Enciñias.

Opportunity for experimentation: 'CONTRA_FORMA' brings contemporary, jazz and flamenco dance to UNM's X Theatre

The project, born from Fahey and Matysiak’s shared vision, was their opportunity for experimentation.

“We had a lot of different ideas for individual pieces just floating around in our brains, and so this show became a container for those different ideas to realize themselves,” said Fahey.

The duo came up with the idea for “CONTRA_FORMA” on a train ride during a trip to Austria, where they were visiting for a project. Matysiak said that while their initial ideas for the performance were complicated, they narrowed it down to what the show is now set to be about: “women in relationship to each other.”

Matysiak said some of the show’s themes are “questioning your role in life and the arts, inherent competition within groups, the death of the self, the letting go of past selves, and readying oneself for a battle.”

But while there’s some heavy messaging, she adds that the audience will also experience some more lighthearted moments of laughter, learning from elders, and transformation.

As choreographers, the two said that working with dancers Jewell and Enciñias was a dream come true.

Jewell has worked as a dance teacher in both the U.S. and Europe, and is now the artistic director at Jewell & Company, where she creates dance films and stage pieces. She also co-founded ECOTONE, an improv performance ensemble.

Enciñias, a flamenco dancer, has a touring flamenco company and is the creator of the only higher education degree program for flamenco, offered at UNM. She also created the National Institute of Flamenco and the annual Festival Flamenco Alburquerque.

Jewell, who has choreographed in both the U.S. and Europe, was an influence that Fahey and Matysiak looked up to. They said Enciñias, in both the local and global community, has been equally inspiring. Their background and professionalism, Matysiak said, made the choreography process go as smoothly as possible, with Jewell and Enciñias taking any suggestions or corrections that they offered.

“There is a level of sophistication with professionals like that, where it makes our job as choreographers so much easier. We are really then allowed to shape and mold how the piece needs to be,” said Matysiak.

Fahey and Matysiak hope that after watching “CONTRA_FORMA,” women leave feeling empowered, inspired and wanting more.