VALLETO needs your support in their 10th anniversary!
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COMPANY DANCERS: Abigail Linnemeyer and Lucia Tozzi / Photo by Alba Garcia
Ten years ago, Mexican-American choreographer Valeria Yvette Gonzalez felt the calling to start her own dance company.
A decade of dedication and hard work has led us to this moment. We are thrilled to celebrate VALLETO's official 10th anniversary in New York!
Following the success of Eternal Bonds .1 and Eternal Bonds .2, we complete the trilogy this year with ETERNAL BONDS—a performance that marks this milestone celebration.
ETERNAL BONDS
November 8 & 9, 2024
Reception: 6:30 PM
Show: 7:30 PM
Location: CPR - Center for Performance Research
at 361 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR + CHOREOGRAPHER
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Born in El Paso, TX, and raised in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Valeria Y. Gonzalez is a dynamic and passionate dance artist, choreographer, educator, and producer. Valeria holds an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, focusing on Performance and Pedagogy. Her thesis, Regarding the Female Body, Sexuality, and Identity in Dance, continues to influence her work today. After completing her Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies at UTEP, she continues to add to, edit, and further her research. During her time at Tisch, she had the privilege of learning from esteemed professors and choreographers such as Phyllis Lamhut, Sean Curran, Pam Pietro, Bobbi Jene Smith, Rashaun Mitchell, Jeremy Nelson, Betsy Coker, Giada Matteini, and others. She also had the opportunity to perform in HELPLESS PEOPLE by MADBOOTS with the Second Avenue Dance Company.
Before Tisch, her pre-professional journey began in Guadalajara in 2007 under the tutelage of Ballet Master Héctor Hernández, father of Isaac Hernández, now principal at ABT, where she honed her classical skills before earning a scholarship to the pre-professional program at Ballet Divertimento in 2009 in Montreal. It was in Montreal that Valeria discovered her passion for Dance Theater after being exposed to Cas Public, Marie Chouinard, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and others— a discovery that would profoundly shape her artistic vision. While at Ballet Divertimento, Valeria performed new works by Gioconda Barbuto (Nederlands Dans Theater), Eric Miles (BJM Danse), David Pressault (Toronto Dance Theater), Rayco Cano Cortes (GöteborgsOperans Danskompani), and more. In 2011, she moved to New York City for the Movement Invention Project intensive, where she was introduced to Gaga, Floorwork, Partnering, Forsythe techniques, and more by choreographers and teachers such as Shamel Pitts, Shannon Gillen, Andrea Miller, Sidra Bell, Gabriel Forestieri, Alexandra Wells, and Jill Johnson. She later was accepted to study at The Ailey School's Independent Study Program. Valeria is a dedicated lifelong learner, having participated in more than 30 prestigious dance intensives worldwide, most recently the Atlas Biennial Festival in Guanajuato, Mexico, OBOC: Countertechnique, and GAGA.
In 2014, Valeria founded VALLETO, a female-identifying and non-binary contemporary experimental dance company based in New York. VALLETO is dedicated to challenging systems of oppression through thought-provoking contemporary dance theater works that explore universally relatable themes. VALLETO has also produced biennial intensives and The Heal Project, with eight intensives so far. Immediately after graduate school, Valeria was offered a teaching position at the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College, where she worked for two years. During that time, she enrolled in and completed a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies at UTEP. Last year, while living in Austin, TX, she was invited to be a guest choreographer at the University of Texas at Austin for the senior students, in addition to creating the first two parts of her Eternal Bonds trilogy and producing a summer intensive.
Before Tisch, Valeria earned a BFA in Communications and TV Production from the New York Institute of Technology, which led to a position as an Associate Producer at NBC New York, where she worked for four years. Fast forward to today: after five years of living nomadically through El Paso, Guadalajara, Miami, and Austin, Valeria is thrilled to return to her true home, New York City, to continue the legacy of VALLETO, launch her new project Unpredictable Bodies, and initiate her solo work.
About VALLETO
VALLETO is contemporary dance company that focuses on creating thought-provoking contemporary dance theater work that sparks emotional responses, leaving a lasting impact on its audiences and collaborators. VALLETO is a unique dance company and platform that brings together talented dancers from diverse backgrounds each season.
Over the years, VALLETO has evolved into a company dedicated to amplifying female-identifying and non-binary voices, creating inclusive spaces where these artists can thrive.
After 10 seasons, through their performance projects, they can share the complexities, and beauty of life by speaking up about things that matter the most to us, such as liberation and standing against systems of oppression.
VALLETO is also comprised by the heal project, and the summer and winter intensives.
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THE COMPANY
VALLETO is a dynamic community of strong, curious, and ambitious women and non-binary individuals redefining contemporary dance. We are the architects of our own destiny, shaping our future through conscious choices and bold actions. Our foundation is built on authentic, enduring relationships rooted in mutual respect and understanding. We refuse to be confined by societal norms or expectations, forging our unique path toward success and fulfillment.
We embrace diversity and inclusivity, knowing that our differences make us stronger and more resilient. Together, we cultivate a supportive and empowering community, striving to transform lives through our dance workshops, performances, and artistic expression. Our mission is to inspire audiences and challenge patriarchal and machista systems through our collective process as global dance citizens. We are unapologetic in our beliefs, advocating the liberation of women and non-binary individuals by creating safe spaces and platforms for our process.
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SEASON 10 COMPANY DANCERS
To read the dancers bios please visit our website https://valletodance.com/team
Abigail Linnemeyer (she/they) @abbielinnemeyer
Alex Schmidt (she/her) @alexschmidttt
Lindsay Jorgensen (she/her) @lalalalindsayy
Lucia Tozzi (she/her) @lucy_tozzi
Elisa Meyer (she/her) @elisam4201
Ashton Atteberry (they/them) @ashton.atteberry
Isa Segall (she/they) @isa.segall
Gracen Nelson (she/her) @gracennelson
Katie LeHoty (she/her) @klehoty
Sheila Jackson (she/her) @sheilajacksonn
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER: Valeria Yvette Gonzalez (she/her)
CO-PRODUCERS: Valeria Yvette Gonzalez (she/her) and Cali Ibarra (He/Him)
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR: Sheila Jackson (she/her)
FILMMAKER/PHOTOGRAPHER/COSTUME DESIGNER: Alba Garcia (she/her) @marianabyalba
MAKE UP AND HAIR: Cassie Mills (she/her)
ASSISTANT MANAGER: Nicole Gerkey (She/her)
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Anne Altmann
INTERN/DIRECTORS ASSISTANT: Maris Krystosek
OUR WHY
On May 28, 2024, VALLETO proudly celebrated its 10-year anniversary. What began as a small project with a premiere at the Kraine Theater in the East Village has blossomed into something far beyond our wildest dreams. Our first season was a success—and the rest is history.
Now, as we prepare for our anniversary performance, we need your support. We are aiming to raise $10,000 (and beyond) to fairly compensate all the artists involved in this production.
Your donation will help cover:
Costume materials
Performance pay for 10 dancers
Compensation for 1 Rehearsal Director/Dancer
Fees for our photographer, videographer, and costume designer
Additional support for all the artists contributing to this season
THE RISKS AND CHALLENGES
VALLETO, led by Valeria Y. Gonzalez, is a self-produced contemporary dance theater company that has created communities for dancers for over 10 years. Despite not receiving traditional funding through grants or sponsorships, VALLETO has thrived thanks to the passion of its team and the generosity of individual supporters like you. Your donation directly fuels the creation and production of our work, fostering future generations of artists and helping them grow and excel.
However, if we don’t reach our fundraising goal, we face significant challenges:
Artist Compensation: The most immediate risk is our inability to fairly compensate the dancers, choreographers, and other key artists involved in the production. Without this support, we may not be able to honor our commitment to them.
Production Quality: A lack of funding could also compromise the quality of our production, limiting our ability to invest in essential elements like costumes, lighting, and stage design, which are vital to delivering a powerful and immersive experience.
Company Sustainability: Without the necessary resources, the long-term sustainability of VALLETO is at stake. Our ability to continue producing innovative work, supporting underrepresented voices, and providing progressive platforms for women and non-binary artists would be severely impacted, and we might have to end.
By contributing, you're not just supporting a project—you’re investing in a vision that celebrates the transformative power of dance. Your support ensures that we can continue inspiring audiences and empowering artists for years to come.
Our 10th year anniversary celebration will take place at CPR Center for Performance Research on November 8 & 9. This time we will present the final section of the trilogy of eternal bonds.
The Performance
The final chapter of the "ETERNAL BONDS" trilogy brings a profound, full-circle experience through an abstract dance and theatrical performance. It explores the illusion of time, the power of memories, and the complex layers of grief. Ten company dancers represent fragments of a shared consciousness, guiding us through vivid, nostalgic, euphoric, and fleeting moments. While time may seem impermanent, the memories made with loved ones are etched into eternity. As the piece confronts the pain of loss and grief, it not only reveals the enduring bonds forged through memory but also honors the shadows of those who have passed and transcended. Their presence is felt in every movement, reminding us that love endures even beyond this life. "Eternal Bonds" invites the audience into a sacred space of collective healing, where performance becomes a ritual for renewal, remembrance, and the persistence of eternal love.
To broaden our impact and continue to present innovative, transformative work, we seek your support to see our evening-length piece happening on November 8th and 9th, 2023, with a reception starting 6:30 pm and show 7:30pm.
Tickets can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cpr-valletos-10th-...
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS
Each season has been made possible through the generous contributions to our campaigns. We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received—without you, VALLETO wouldn’t have been able to make the impact it has on so many communities!
We are proud to be fiscally sponsored by Unique Projects, Inc. who will be receiving and administering the donations for our 10 year anniversary celebration. Unique will provide tax exempt acknowledgment for donations $250 and over, following the value of any goods or services received in exchange.
LEARN MORE ABOUT VALLETO
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. You can also visit our website to learn more about our journey: https://valletodance.com
From all of us at VALLETO, thank you for your interest and generosity.
