With the choreography “Vertical,” Sinaloa-based creator Johnny Millán has reached the final stage of the Guillermo Arriaga National Dance Award—the 43rd INBAL-UAM Contemporary Choreography Creation Contest—one of the most significant competitions for contemporary dance in Mexico.
Johnny Millán, co-coordinator of the Mazatlán Professional Dance School (EPDM) under the Municipal Institute of Culture, will represent Sinaloa with “Vertical” in Category B, designated for artists with a consolidating career.
The jury selected eight choreographies across three categories to participate in the final performance, which will take place on Tuesday, September 1, at 7:00 PM in the Main Hall of the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes), one of the country’s most important cultural venues.
Reaching this stage places his choreographic work among the highlights of this year’s edition and showcases Sinaloa’s dance talent on a national level.
Also selected in this category were the works “Occidente. Arquitectura del desplome” by Luis Hernández (representing Veracruz), “Resistencia Nocturna” by Paulino Medina (Mexico City), and “Cerquita” by Bárbara Valencia Bladinieres (Querétaro).
Competing in Category A—reserved for artists with an established career—are “Burdel filosófico” by Henry Torres (Baja California) and “La medida de las cosas” by Lourdes Luna (representing Yucatán).
Selected for Category C, designated for emerging artists, were “Apalaches” by Jocelyn Fernández and “Mesa para 6” by Farid Sarmiento, both representing Mexico City.
Johnny Millán’s presence in the final stage of the Guillermo Arriaga National Dance Award represents a significant professional milestone and confirms the ability of creators from Sinaloa to develop works capable of competing on the country’s major stages. Admission to the final performance—which will bring together the eight choreographies selected by the jury at the Palace of Fine Arts—is free; there, “Vertical” will vie for the top honor of the 43rd INBAL-UAM Contemporary Choreography Creation Competition.
The competition is organized with the participation of the National Dance Coordination, the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature, the Autonomous Metropolitan University, and the Government of Mexico’s Secretariat of Culture.
