BIO

Sônia Lopes Soares is a Brazilian, choreographer, director, and performer based in New York City since 2014. She has been working with dance, performance and theater for over 25 years.

In 2003 she founded the cultural center Viga espaco cênico, and in 2005 she founded her company Cia Viga in São Paulo, Brazil.

Sônia received a grant from the British Council for the British Cultural Festival(2006). Her work “A place for Sarah” was honored with an award by the Council.

Soares also received grants in 2007, 2008 and 2010, from the city and state of São Paulo, (Fomento à dança and Proac) to develop, produce and perform her company’s work.

In 2011, 2012, Sônia in a artistic partnership with the actress Luciana Paes, created and presented the works “The Rooms”,

“Open House” and “I’d rather the ocean, the trailer”

Since 2014 she is been making work in NYC independently and founded her company Viga 212, in which she created the works “After Tomorrow”, I’d rather the ocean”, Dancing on their glittering mirrors”

In 2017, Sônia created a new work project during a four-month residency in Brazil, with a NY based performer and two Brazilians actors. In September 2017, she participated in a residency in Groningen Holland with Cia Hiato director by Leo Moreira.

Soares has performed in Brazil, Argentina, Peru, United States, France at Pompidou, and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and has been showing her work in NY at Dixon Place, NDA/Performance Mix Festival, Judson Church at the Movement Research.

PROJECTS

DANCING ON THEIR GLITTERING MIRRORS: about dance, wind and fire (2018)

Dancing on the Glittering Mirrors is a piece that combines dance, theater, and visual arts. Using stories documented from intimate interactions in public spaces as its base, the piece explores the concepts of intimacy and passion, combining reality with fiction, and the extraordinary with the terrestrial.

Sônia Lopes Soares // director, choreographer, performer

Mercedes Searer // performer

Janet Panetta //performer

Charles Gowin//performer

Jiyoun Chang // lighting designer

Kuki Stolarsky //sound designer

Baille Younkman //costume designer

these violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which, as they kiss, consume.

therefore love moderately. long love doth so.

* Romeo and Juliet: act 2, scene 6

I'D RATHER THE OCEAN: About dance, high altitude and artificial breathing (2017)

In “I’d Rather The Ocean”, an eccentric group gets together with the mutual objective of performing a choreographed dance at the peak of the Himalayas, at an altitude of nearly 30,000 feet.

Walking up the mountain serves as a metaphor for life, a starting point for reflection, and a means for creation.

​

Sônia Lopes Soares // director, choreographer, performer

Mercedes Searer // performer

Christine Bonansea Salut // performer

Janet Panetta //performer

Jiyoun Chang // lighting designer

Kuki Stolarsky //sound designer

1st music// Mussorgsky-Night on the Bald Mountain

Baille Younkman //costume designer

AFTER TOMORROW (2015)

Sônia Lopes Soares // director, choreographer, performer

Luciana Paes // dramaturgy assistance

Mercedes Searer // performer

Kevin Fay // performer

Jiyoun Chang // lighting designer

Kuki Stolarsky //sound designer

Baille Younkman //costume designer

I'D RATHER THE OCEAN, THE TRAILER (2014)

​

A solo about dance documentary

Sônia Lopes Soares and Luciana Paes //conception and direction//

Sônia Lopes Soares //choreography and performance

1st music// Mussorgsky-Night on the Bald Mountain

Kuki Stolarski//sound design and original music

Amy Golembesky//costume design

Ji-youn Chang//lighting design

Tatiana Guimarães//video

Mariana Benedetto//sculptures and graphic design

MOUNTAIN, THE TRAILER (2014)

Sônia Lopes Soares// conception, performer

Patrick Caracas// director video

Amy golembeski//costume designer

OPEN HOUSE  (2012)

​

Artist/real person performs/rm to spare/xtra bright & spacious, in the sky/private outdoors/ calif clsts/nr everything/needs your touch/don’t miss/ pano vus

Sônia Lopes Soares and Luciana Paes//Conception and Direction

Sônia Lopes Soares//Performance

Kuki Stolarski//sound design and original music

Ji-youn Chang//lighting design

Valdy Lopes Jn//costume designer

Production//Viga espaço cênico

Chapter 2 (2012)

​

Six years afrter “A Place for Sarah”, Cia Viga presents Chapter 2 with revised movement and new ideas.

​

Sônia Lopes Soares Conception and Direction

Sônia Lopes Soares and Tatiana Giuimarães//Performance

Kuki Stolarski//sound design and original music

André Boll//lighting design

Valdy Lopes Jn// set design and costume designer

Gabriela Giora// set and costume design assistence

Production//Viga espaço cênico

THE ROOMS (2011)

​

On a sunny day a woman walks through a place that no longer exists. In an attempt to turn things into reality, he plays and interact with the space and objects around her.

​

Sônia Lopes Soares and Luciana Paes//Conception and Direction

Sônia Lopes Soares//Performance

Kuki Stolarski//sound design and original music

Ji-youn Chang//lighting design

Valdy Lopes Jn//costume designer

Production//Viga espaço cênico

WILTED VIOLETS (2010)

​

British author Virginia Woolf is the starting point in the investigation of a movement capable of pluralizing the possibilities of sight. “Wilted Violets” invites the spectator to reflect about the irony involved in the human being’s constant necessity to adapt and fit into its environment.

Sponsored by Programa Municipal de Fomento à Dança - VII EDIÇÃO/2009, and Centro Cultural São Paulo Festival

Concept, direction and choreography: Sônia Lopes Soares Performers: Guilherme Jorge, Luciana Paes, Sônia Lopes Soares and Tatiana Guimarães. Choreography assistance: Rodrigo Vieira Set design: Valdy Lopes Jn Lighting design: Lucia Chedieck Costumes and visual design: Adriana Hitomi Original soundtrack: Erico Theobaldo Photos: Gal Oppido and Fernando Pião Production: Doble Cultura e Social Duration: 6o minutes

​

A PLACE FOR SARAH  (2007)

​

“A Place for Sarah, or whatever Madame would like” combines concepts found in selected works by Sarah Lucas with Sonia’s extensive research on the human memory.

​

Concept: Sônia Lopes Soares Artistic coordination: João Miguel Artistic direction and choreography: Sônia Lopes Soares Performers: Sônia Lopes Soares and Tatiana Guimarães Set design: Valdy Lopes Jn Lighting design: Lúcia Chedieck Sound design: Erico Theobaldo Costumes and graphic design: Adriana Hitomi Photos: Gal Oppido and Willian Aguiar

Production: Cassia de Souza

Doble Cultura e Social Duration: 60 minutes

Sponsered by Festival Cultura Inglesa e Programa Municipal de Fomento à Dança

WORKSHOP

BODILY STATES AND THE DRAMATURGY OF MOVEMENT

The workshop will investigate the dramaturgy of movement and dissect the corporeality of the performer.

Through the construction of set movement structures in combination with improvisation, the performers/participants are stimulated to explore movement as a means to re-experience in their bodies a dilated scenic body language. Over the last few years, I have been researching the non-linear and disengaged narrative action of the fundamentals of logic and the role that memory plays as a tool for creation, exploring the necessity of communication by means of urgency in transmitting and transforming a situation, an image or space into the present.

Through such specific improvisation exercises and physical and theatrical activities, participants will develop the ability to create systems for movement by exploring different densities and states of bodily awareness, in order to become more creative and present performers.