Artists Spotlight: Rebecca Martinez
Rebecca Martinez, actor, director, choreographer, dancer, singer, instructor.
Recipient RACC 2007 Project Grant
Rebecca Martinez is an award-winning performing artist who has directed 15 productions, 13 of which she created and/or wrote in collaboration. In 2006, she was a co-recipient of the Lilla Jewel Award (MRG Foundation) which was awarded for her past work. Rebecca has also shared in 3 Drammy Awards for her work as an ensemble member of Sojourn Theatre, (2003 award for choreography - 7 Great Loves, 2003 Best Acting Ensemble – 7 Great Loves and 2006 for Best Acting Ensemble, The War Project: 9 Acts of Determination).
A passionate believer in multicultural performance, she founded ¡Viva la Cultura!, an ensemble of artists that performs dance, music and stories of the Americas for young audiences and families. Her work is often information by her own multi-cultural past, and has dedicated much of her energy to working with the Latino community.
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Rebecca Martinez in
Cuentos-Searching for My Story |
In 2007, Rebecca has created (in collaboration with Joaquin Lopez and Michael Rohd) a community workshop and performance entitled: Cuentos-Searching for My Story (awarded a RACC Project Grant), pictured below. Through traditional music of Spain and Mexico, Cuentos explores the central question ‘How can I respect others if I don’t respect myself?’. By experience the performers’ search for cultural understanding and acceptance, audience members are encouraged to value their own cultures and communities, and their unique voices within these. This production will tour the Portland area from through summer 2008. Next performances on Saturdays at 3pm February 2, 9, 16, 23, 2008 at Miracle Theatre, 525 SE Stark, Portland.
From April 4-26, 2008 Miracle Theatre Group will present an original dance theatre production written and directed by Rebecca called Oyá: Call The Storm. Oyá is a feminine warrior orisha of the Afro-Cuban Yoruba tradition. Like the wind that she commands, Oyá is always changing, always moving, with the power to conjure storms, hurricanes and tornadoes. Told through heart-felt rhythms of Yoruba influence, the story of Oyá and Ikú unfolds through folkloric Afro-Cuban dance and song that form a colorful language of movement to reach across linguistic and geographic boundaries.
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Rebecca Martinez's
Oyá: Call The Storm |
Bilingual in English and Spanish, she has instructed numerous residencies in theatre and Latin American folkloric dance, and has taught for Young Audiences, Miracle Theatre, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre, YMCA, SUN Schools, RACC, Multnomah County Libraries, and many public and private schools throughout the region. Ms. Martínez currently serves as the Education and Outreach Director at Artists Repertory Theatre. Ms. Martínez has also instructed and performed internationally, and in the past year, has traveled with Sojourn Theatre to MacKay, QSD, Australia to perform for the Regional Arts National Conference, and spent two months teaching cultural exchange theatre workshops in Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Contact Information:
website: www.geocities.com/viva_la_cultura
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RACC Staff to Contact
Mary Bauer
Communications Associate
503.823.5426
mbauer@racc.org
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