Trenza

An exploration of family, culture, and lineage. The braid was inspired by the tocado headpieces my mother would braid for my Folklórico dance costumes. I dyed the cotton cording by hand and braided all ten yards together with red silk ribbon. These women are your mamas, hermanas, hijas, and abuelas. They/you are connected and intertwined—a testament that our bonds are not so easily broken or forgotten.

Trenza was performed by Yolimar River Rodriguez and Isabel Nieves Carrasquillo at Finch Lane Gallery in Salt Lake City in 2023. The piece was presented in collaboration with Laura Sharp Wilson's installation, Gilding the Lily. Wilson's hand-painted costumes mirrored the trenza worn by the dancers.

CREDITS

CHOREOGRAPHY
Roxanne Gray
with collaboration from dancers

PERFORMERS
Yolimar Rivera Rodriguez
Isabel Nieves Carrasquillo
Also performed by Em Zinn

MUSIC
"Volver, Volver" by Buika

INSTALLATION AND COSTUMES
Laura Sharp Wilson

PHOTOGRAPHY
Roxanne Gray

ORIGINALLY PERFORMED AT
Finch Lane Gallery
"Gilding the Lily," 2024
Salt Lake City, UT

ALSO PERFORMED AT
Graduate Showing, Spring 2024
Clubhouse, Salt Lake City, UT

FUNDED IN PART BY
Salt Lake City Arts Council

This piece was created as a part of my MFA thesis research at the University of Utah.