Audience Location:
Oasis of Huacachina (province of Ica)
Date and Time:
May 27, 2017 at 4:30 PM
Water Locale:
Huacachina lagoon
Choreographer(s):
Ursula Carrascal. Director of Minaq Ecodanza, a cultural organization that work in the creation of dance about climate change.
Organizer of cultural events and trainings! Also, he is a performer, a journalist with training (Master) in Gender, Politics and Society!
Studies in Ecology and Geography (3 years). Trained in Classical and contemporary dance, theatre and social therapy.
Years of experience working in environmental education and social mobilization.
History of Site and Related Water Issues:
Huacachina is a village in southwestern Peru, built around a small oasis surrounded by sand dunes. It is in the Ica Province, about five kilometers from the city of Ica in the Ica District.Called the “oasis of America,” it has a small natural lake in the desert. According to local legends the water and mud of the area is supposed to have curative powers that cures ailments such as arthritis, rheumatism, asthma and bronchitis. Legend holds that the lagoon was created when a beautiful native princess removed her clothes to bathe, but looking into a mirror, she saw a male hunter approaching her from behind. Startled at the intrusion, she fled the area leaving behind her mirror which turned into a lake. Other versions hold that she fled, leaving the pool of water she had been bathing in to become the lagoon. The folds of her mantle, streaming behind her as she ran, became the surrounding sand dunes. And the woman herself is rumored to still live in the oasis as a mermaid. Water stopped seeping into the lake in the 1980s and this has now started to become a threat to the lagoon.
Recently, private landowners near the oasis have installed wells, which has reduced the level of water in the oasis. The actual process of artificially pumping water into the oasis began on April 2, 2015 and since then more than 73,000 cubic meters of water has been pumped into the lake raising the height of the water by as much as 3 meters. Ica had 13 lakes over the last years, but Huacachina is the only surviving. Plus the lack of rain in this coastal ecosystem, the waste and lost of the local biodiversity due to the human impact are putting it up in risk.
Music:
Our performance is divided in 6 parts:
1. FlashMob AGUA. Music Broken Life. After the Storm.
2. Birds of Huacachina. Birds singing. Ecodanza edition.
3. Ritual dance: Woman of Water. Natural Sounds. Ecodanza Edition.
4. Local dance: Healing Huacachina. Water. After the Storm.
5. Global dance. Nicolás Soto Urrea. Global Water Dances – GWD.
6. Community dance: Let´s Dance. Global Water Dances – GWD.
The Performance:
This performance is inspired in the local legend (mermaid) of Huacachina and the coreography “Sand Woman” performed during the Water Day in the year 2015 in Huacachina.
This act is perfomed around the lagoon.
The session 1 is the flashmob Water where the new humans walk towards the shore of the lagoon creating a circle of energy. The energy of re creating the life of a new generation of birds coming to this world to bring to Huacachina a new opportunity. The voice of the dune calls to the little birds to wake up from their deeh sleeping of 200 years (session 2). They do their first fly as they embrace life. Streching, breathing, feeling.
This new energy causes to the sand warriors and the native princess wake up as well of their dream. They join with the rest of new humans and they do the flower´s magical ritual dance Woman of Water (session 3). Bodies dancing with the petals, flying, moving. The warriors, created from the very first times of Huacachina, protect to the princess, whom never has been seen when the sun is raising up. All together dance Water: the voice of the Universe (session 4). Movements mixed with a lyric asking to save the planet, to take care of our beautiful water. The powerful song creates a global awaking, then the native princess and the warriors walk toward the new world, one so different from their times. Where are the huarangos, the desert forest? where the birds that used to fly when the princess was only a human? where the clean sand?
A global dance is created as they dance in the water of the lagoon (session 5) and in the dessert. Global movements influeced by local dance steps and ecosytem. The unison of the past, the present, and the future dancing collectivily. A new dance has been created by everybody. Huacachina still have a Hope (session 6).
[soliloquy id=”8302″]
Environmental Impact:
Huacachina currently has many related issues, but for this performance we are focusing in:
Waste: this is the main pollution problem. Every day kiles of solid waste are produced by the local inhabitants and tourists. Plus Ica doesnt have a managment waste system. Most of the trash of the city is dumped in open areas such La Huega, a place being a lagoon many years ago and placed only few kilometers of Huacachina. There is also a town, called Nueva Esperanza, behing the dunes of Huacachina, where local people dump their trash. Most of it is plastic (botlles, bags) that flies and reach the lake.
This problem has impacted so badly in the water source of the lake and to the wildlife living over and around it. The number of birds have drastically reduced during the last years. Pieces of glass are combined with the sand next to the shore and underwater. Neither humans nor animals are free of danger. The quality of lake is bad due also due to micro organisms (sewage water dumped by local businesses)
Directions to the Site of Performance:
Everyone willing to be part of it, can click here:
Google map
Email for more information:
How can I get involved?
* Being part of the ritual and local dance. Please enjoy us this 28th May at 9:00 in the hotel Desert Nights to be part of these dances. We are providing meals and certifications to a limited number of participants. Wear white clothes. Need the compromise of being in the rehearsal from 9 am to 12 pm, and to perform during the atternoon.
* Being part of the clean up of Huacachina. 3:30 PM. A group of volunteers of Eco Dunes will be identified.
* Assist to enjoy the performance. Come to 4 PM and get the best view!!!
Call to register to 998885682 or write to ecodanzacompany@gmail.com.
FREE ENTRANCE
Local Website:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/820871658062227/
Other resources and links:
