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As a Mexican-American multidisciplinary intersectional feminist female dance artist, my work is deeply interwoven with my heritage and the lived experiences of navigating diverse worlds. My artistry is a passionate exploration of identity, a challenge to the patriarchal and “machista” structures that seek to silence voices like mine, and a celebration of the intricate duality of my cultural background. Dance, to me, is the ultimate act of liberation—a dynamic platform where I assert my sexuality, confront my deepest fears and embrace self-expression without reservation.

My creative process is inherently politically grounded in the commitment to amplify the often-muted voices of women, non-binary individuals, and other marginalized communities. Through collaborative endeavors, my work transcends personal narrative, aiming to unveil the collective experiences of oppression, resilience, and desire. As a survivor of domestic violence, dance has become my sanctuary and vessel, allowing me to heal, connect, and advocate for those with shared histories.

I create dances that break the rules, that speak to and from the body, echoing the desires, fantasies, and the very essence of my being. Each piece is a dialogue—a collaborative journey with my dancers that expands our collective consciousness and explores the intimate and universal themes of love, relationships, and human connection. Inspired by relationships, conversations, and music, my work is an invitation to indulge in new fantasies, to question the status quo, and to engage deeply with the world around us.

My artistic dream is personal and vulnerable. It is the pursuit of reconnecting over and over to my spirituality, seeking daily to forge a deeper connection with a higher force so I can continue creating and finding hope in this chaotic world. I want to continue becoming a vessel to create things I might not understand about myself and others in the process of creating or until an audience witnesses the piece. I love witnessing my own pieces to understand myself more, but I also enjoy to surprising myself and others.

My process and choreography bridge connecting the intimate to the universal and a celebration of diversity and unlimited possibilities. It is an ode to the power of dance to heal, connect, and inspire, serving as a vehicle for personal and collective liberation and a profound expression of love for myself and Pachamama.



 

Valleto Dance Intensive
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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | CHOREOGRAPHER


Valeria Y. Gonzalez is a Mexican-American dance artist and producer from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, who is now enriching Austin's cultural landscape. With a background in ballet, contemporary dance, and television production, she earned her MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2018, focusing on Performance and Pedagogy. Valeria's artistic journey was shaped by international training, including studies under Ballet Master Hector Hernandez, Ballet Divertimento in Montreal, the Alvin Ailey School, and several dance intensives around the globe. Valeria also holds a BFA in Communications and TV Production from NYIT, and a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies at UTEP. 

In 2014, she founded VALLETO, creating a dynamic platform for women and non-binary artists, celebrated in prestigious festivals and residencies. Her work, known for its emotional depth and expressive movement, reflects a commitment to exploring femininity and identity. As a former lecturer at UTEP and a guest choreographer at UT Austin, Valeria continues to inspire and shape the dance world with her innovative vision and passionate teaching.




 

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Valleto Dance

Get to Know VALERIA


Birthday
March 7 (Pisces sun, Pisces moon, Taurus Rising.)

Influences:  Personal experiences, music, movies, Bobbi Jenne Smith, Ohad Naharin movement language "Gaga", Pina Bausch, Aakash Odedra, Horacio Macuacua, Shannon Gillen, Andrea Miller, Sidra Bell, Maxine Doyle, Frida Kahlo, Wassily Kandinsky, Ana Mendieta, Marina Abramovic, Carole Schneemann, Luciana Achugar, Mette Invargten, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, my father, The Sato Sisters, Hector Hernandez, Isaac Hernandez, Denzel Washington, Tamara Rojo, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Susan Landgraf, Enez Paganuzzi, Rashaun Mitchell, Pam Pietro, Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Gaspar Noe, Alejandro Gonzalez- Iñarritu, Checo Gonzalez (my brother), Madonna, Erykah Badu and more. 


Training: Classical Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Floorwork, Graham, Horton, Gaga, Countertechnique, Yoga, Pilates, Acting and Mindfulness Meditation.

Intensives: Pirouetteando, B12, OBOC: Countertechnique, VIM VIGOR, MODULE, Gallim, Gaga in Tel Aviv and NY, Movement Invention Project, ATLAS Biennal Dance Festival, TL Collective, Ballet Divertimento, Szalt, and more.


When not dancing: Valeria relishes film, music, a good cocktail and a tasty pasta. She cherishes quality time with her husband, and the comfort of hugging her Weimaraner dog. A daydreamer, traveler, and continual student of dance and the body, she unwinds with long, meditative baths and the anticipation of her next dance intensive.

Fun fact: She fantasizes of dancing Kitri section a lot,  changes her hair every too often, and chocolate chip cookies are her weakness. DREAMER 10000%

 

 

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"I worked closely with Valeria on her MFA thesis and she exhibited a real passion for feminist politics and bridging different disciplines and forms of research into her creative practice and choreographic vision. Through the soul-searching process she developed a clear voice as a Mexican American artist, speaking boldly to the female psyche and experience. She demonstrated a real ease with the working process of her pieces and produced a piece of enigmatic beauty and kinetic rigor. She has an innate feel for drama and risk. Her movements can be soft and vulnerable one moment and then explosive and ferocious the next moment. Her work contains a singular movement sensibility, a unique and timely point of view that needs to be heard. As a professional in the field, Valeria is a hard worker, and is able to juggle different aspect of her life as a dance artist in the city, while maintaining a peak level of physical and creative excellence." - Rashaun Mitchel (Cunningham Trustee, Guggenheim Fellow)


 

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In 2020, Valeria also founded VALLETO Heal, a holistic community platform for individuals from all walks of life. This platform offers embodied workshops, deep discussions, projects, and retreats led by Valeria and a diverse group of guest healers who share their knowledge and expertise in healing practices. VALLETO Heal holds various sessions and workshops focusing on healing practices such as movement, somatics, meditation, journaling, energy work, and more.

"Valeria’s curious and open minded. There is a quixotic and playful quality to her dancing that partners naturally with her focused and receptive nature in the studio. She is an inventive, hard working talent and is exactly the kind of artist that this medium needs to promote contemporary dance not only here in the US, but also in her native Mexico." - Shannon Gillen (VIM VIGOR)


TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

As a Mexican American intersectional feminist educator and choreographer, my journey within the academic and artistic realms is deeply intertwined with my personal narrative. Guided by creating inclusive spaces, fostering self-expression, and celebrating autonomy, my teaching philosophy reflects my commitment to nurturing a safe, respectful, and accessible learning environment. In my dance studio, every individual is welcomed and valued. Drawing from my own experiences of feeling marginalized, I prioritize diversity, inclusion, vulnerability, open-mindedness, and respect. My goal is to ensure that each student feels a profound sense of belonging and empowerment. I emphasize the importance of presence, both physically and emotionally, encouraging my students to fully inhabit the moment. This approach not only enhances their artistic expression but also fosters a deep connection with themselves and their peers. By sharing my journey and embracing my identity as a female Mexican American educator, I aim to inspire resilience and confidence in my students, helping them to find and respect their unique voices. Inspired by my formative years, where I faced challenges due to cultural and language barriers, I am dedicated to making each student feel seen and heard. My teaching encourages students to honor their personal stories and the spaces we share, promoting an atmosphere of mutual respect and empathy. This environment nurtures the development of each dancer's unique voice, encouraging them to explore their creativity and personal narratives.


 

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RE-CONNECT and Practicing Presence

In my technical classes, I delve into a rich tapestry of dance elements, including composition, improvisation, flexibility, strength, endurance, musicality, rituals, alignment, and artistry. Drawing inspiration from my teacher, Shannon Guillen, and her "learning by doing" ethos, I challenge dancers to push beyond their limits and embrace the safety of taking risks. This approach leads to synthesizing all the techniques I've absorbed over the years, culminating in a distinct style that is uniquely my own. I possess an intuitive ability to read the room, adapting to meet the immediate needs of my students. Yet, the essence of my teaching transcends mere physicality. I am deeply committed to nurturing self-expression, resilience, discipline, and reflection within my students. My classroom is a vibrant crucible of growth, where active participation, attentive listening, keen observation, and diligent practice converge, enriching students’ understanding and appreciation of dance not just as an art form but as a profound medium for personal discovery. I aspire to act as a beacon of change, urging students to traverse beyond conventional boundaries and explore the vast expanse of their capabilities. In cultivating a supportive and open-minded atmosphere, my goal is to unleash the creative essence inherent in each individual, enabling them to inject their distinct voices into the fabric of the dance community. At the heart of my teaching philosophy lies the conviction that dance is a potent catalyst for healing, connection, and inspiration, offering a path to both personal and communal emancipation. Through this lens, I view dance as a transformative force capable of elevating the human spirit and fostering a sense of unity and liberation among us all.

Valeria's classes take you on a physical and sensory journey to awaken the unconscious and emotional inner knowledge. Valeria cultivates a safe space for the students to have a deeper connection to the movement practices. Her workshops also focus on exploring partnering dynamics, undoing old movement habits, and unveiling the psyche through a variety of contemporary dance methodologies, improvisation, and acting methods. 

VALLETO CHOREOGRAPHIC / CREATIVE PROCESS

Valeria’s choreographic process excavates deep emotional states and memories through movement research, shapes, geometry, voice, the outer and inner world, sound, curiosity and collaborative exploration. She safely invites her dancers to be vulnerable and allows them to unveil the many layers that our collective consciousness hides.
Valeria is interested in creating work that comes from the HEART and that is real to all the people involved. Her process allows the dancers to tap into themselves in every way, discovering the creature we all hold within, unmasking ourselves to find our true expression.  

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Valleto Dance Intensive

"Valeria pushed me to places emotionally and physically that I normally shy away from, but in the most honest and safe way where I felt entirely supported by everyone in the studio. She created a safe space from day one, and set the tone of honesty to all of us having a deeper connection and conversation every day. Her movement practices feed on the energy of the room, riding the impulse of where to push us next. Nothing she did was predictable and I love that. Instead of feeling like her (or any of the teachers) were "at the front of the room" I felt like we were on a journey together, growing together, and sharing ideas."

Intensive Participant

“enough-more” MANIFESTO

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