In 2014, while pregnant, Ayelen Parolin gave another choreographer and performer from Argentina, Lisi Estaras, the opportunity to take her place on a number of dates. This lightning-bolt of an adventure for both women was the starting point of a desire to deepen their connection, an attempt to bring together their two personalities and writing styles, highlighting some similarities and many differences….

By employing the principle of choreography for the solo behind their meeting, and its relationship with identity (unstable construction, resolutely plural and fluid), both artists have created a piece which is rich in contrast and diffraction, one that is “schizophrenic” to an extent.
La Esclava is an on-stage solo where a woman (Lisi Estaras), seemingly haunted/mesmerized by herself, and hemmed in by multiple strands of heritage, seeks to extricate or exhume her own history, along with her relationship to the world. Standing at a crossroads between vulnerability and assurance, control and ruin, this Esclava is actually trying (like everyone else) to grab the “right” ropes in the chaotic flow of thoughts and emotions, in order to better achieve the illusory state of letting go, one that is nonetheless seen as so essential…

The artists

Ayelen Parolin

Ayelen Parolin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and lives and works in Brussels, Belgium. She studied at the National School of Dance and the San Martin Theatre in Buenos Aires. In Europe she followed the e.x.e.r.c.e formation in Montpellier. As a performer she worked for Mathilde Monnier, Mossoux-Bonte, Jean-François Peyret, Mauro Paccagnella, Louise Vanneste, Alexandra Bachzetsis, Anne Lopez and Riina Saastamoinen.

Since 2004, Ayelen Parolin develops a personal work. Each of her creations centers around a recurring motif, from which the choreography is built up. She created her solo 25.06.76 in which she explores her autobiography. With Troupeau/Rebaño she confronted the animal that lies dormant in each of us, with SMS and Love she questioned femininity and its development within a group. For her work DAVID she contemplates the male figure. This piece is also an exploration of senses and a deconstruction of clichés from a canonical model, a motive as well, and symbol of manhood: the David of Michelangelo. For Heretics, Ayelen Parolin collaborates with composer Lea for the first time. Lea performs a piano piece live during the performance. Heretics is an obsessional triad involving endurance, repetition, and variations on the triangle as a leitmotiv.

In 2015, she has focused on women. First with the duet Exotic World with the director and former stripper Sarah Moon Howe and then with her new solo La Esclava, co-written and performed by Lisi Estaràs.

In July 2016, she presented Nativos in the Seoul Arts Center, a new work with 4 Korean dancers in which Ayelen sought to reactivate the choreographic materiel from Heretics whilst confronting it with Korean culture and in particular, its strong shamanic tradition.

She is one of four winners of the Fellowship awarded by the Pina Bausch foundation for 2016 .

For May 2017 she is preparing an upcoming group project Autoctonos for the KunstenFestivaldesArt in Brussels..

She has created and shown her work in Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Estonia, Israël, NY, Mexico, Switzerland, in Serbia, Holland, South Korea and Argentina.

She was laureate of Pépinières Européennes for  Young Artistes Programme XXL.

Lisi Estaras

Elizabeth (Lisi) Estaras (1972) begins to dance in Cordoba (Argentina). After trying to combine her studies in social work with a professional dance training, she chooses dance. Thanks to a scholarship she leaves Argentina at age 19 to study at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. Quite soon afterwards she joins the ranks of the Batsheva Ensemble in Tel Aviv.

After five years in Israel Lisi moves to Europe and starts her career with les ballets C de la B in 1997. She creates and dances Iets op Bach, Wolf, vsprs, pitié!, C(H)ŒURS and tauberbach by Alain Platel, and Tempus Fugit by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. She is also part of the educational project and gives workshops and master classes in Belgium and around the world.

Over the years she also creates her own work. She makes and dances: Bartime with Einat Tuchman (Campo, Ghent), Cocina Erotica and No Wonder with Constanza Macras (Schaubühne, Berlin), Leche (Passerelle, Kortrijk) and A distancia (Teatro Real, Cordoba, Argentina). For les ballets C de la B she choreographs Patchagonia, Bolero, The Gaza Monologues, primero-erscht and Dance Dance, a coproduction with het KIP (Ghent).

Lisi also makes choreographies for other directors. She works on Hiob by Sandra Strunz (Theater Bonn), Das Brennende Haus by Emilio Garcia Wehbi and Maricel Alvarez (City Theater Bern) and Het Hamilton Complex by Lies Pauwels. (HETPALEIS,. Antwerpen)

In 2016 she creates the performance Monkey Mind with three dancers with Down syndrome for Platform K (Campo, Ghent) and the solo The speech for dancer Irene Russolillo (Festival Equilibrium, Rome).

She also performs the new creation by Benny Claessens Learning how to walk (05/18/16, NTGent).

Credits

Concept & choreography Ayelen Parolin & Lisi Estaràs
Performer Lisi Estaràs

Music Bartold Uyttersprot 
Dramaturgy Sara Vanderieck & Olivier Hespel 
Light design Carlo Bourguignon
Costumes Dorine Demuynck 
Scenic Object Nicolas Vladyslav

Production RUDA asbl

Coproduction Charleroi Danses, Les Brigittines – Brussels, CDC Le Gymnase – Roubaix, Petites Scenes Ouvertes (PSO). 
With the support of la Fédération Wallonie – Bruxelles – Service de la Danse
Support WBI, WBT/D, Les Ballets C de la B – Gent,
Studio support Hellerau – European Center for Arts – Dresden, Grand Studio – Brussels
Ayelen Parolin is accompanied by Grand Studio.
Ayelen Parolin is in administrative résidence at Théâtre les Tanneurs.

Tour dates & contact

tour dates can be found here

Contact
Karin Vermeire
c/o Théâtre Les Tanneurs
75-77 rue des Tanneurs
B – 1000 Brussels
+32 (0)486 76 01 44
cie.ayelen.parolin@gmail.com