Photo: Milja Rossi

Casino is what they call salsa dancing in Cuba, referring to the place where you go to dance. Casino is also the title of this piece, a dance performance by Ofelia Jarl Ortega, made for three dancers with Latin American roots: Nina Sandino, Jao Moon and Ofelia herself.

Casino is set on a fictitious dance floor in a Latin American club for couples social dancing, where the dancers' own relationships to salsa reverberates their bodies through a repertoire of historical and personal memories. By way of the dancers' engagement and the sounds of their steps, the music is present in its absence. In a subtle, restrained, detailed and playful way, the three dancers connect, and fail to simultaneously.

Costumes by yours truly, channeling three different salsa generations in a whirlwind of time.

︎ Ofelia Jarl Ortega’s website

Choreography: Ofelia Jarl Ortega in close collaboration with the performers.
Performers: Jao Moon, Nina Sandino.
Lighting design: Johan Sundén.
Dramaturge: Andrea Rodrigo and Quim Bigas.
Costume: Erik Annerborn.
Producer: Terry Johnson (Johnson & Bergsmark).
Photo: Milja Rossi.

Co-production: Dansehallerne (Copenhagen), MDT (Stockholm). Residency support: höjden studios, Stockholm, Dansplats Skog, Stråtjära.

With support from The Swedish Art Grants Committee, The Swedish Arts Council and Stockholms Stad.