“Cumbiosis” is presented as a dialogue of improvisations between a contemporary dancer and a pianist. The pianist plays classical melodies, such as “The Swan Lake,” “Alla Turca,” or “Für Elise,” changing the rhythm and structure to a cumbia-vibe (cumbia is a dance-oriented music genre popular throughout Latin America), while the dancer mixes movements taken from classical ballet with cumbria and other, more contemporary styles.

The performance took place in four venues: between the University of the Republic and the Public Library, the highly luxurious Carrasco Mall, the Fabini Square, and in front of El Tropy, the main tropical music club in the area. Each place was selected in order to reach a wide and diverse audience and, additionally, because of the symbolic meanings associated with each venue.

By experimenting with the relationship between classical music and cumbia in an attempt to establish a fluid dialogue between them, the performances question why we can’t, as people coexist peacefully.

“Cumbiosis” was awarded first prize in the performance category at the first Festival of Urban Interventions of Montevideo. It was selected by ImaginaMVD 2030.