La Cristalización de la danza

The Crystallization of Dance will be premiering at the Sala Club of the Victoria Eugenia Theatre in Donostia on 12 June as part of the outreach programme ofDonostia International Physics Centre (DIPC). This original project came about when the renowned scientist Juan Manuel García-Ruiz, currently an Ikerbasque Research Professor at DIPC, and who is a world leader in the study of crystallography and crystallization, met up with the dancer and choreographer Vanesa Aibar, one of the revivers of flamenco and winner of the Max Award for best dance show in 2023. The two will be engaging in a dialogue on stage about our relationship with crystals and their influence on the arts throughout history.

Human beings have been fascinated by crystals since time immemorial. We have evidence that the first objects collected by hominids were quartz and calcite crystals, possibly attracted by their particular optical properties and geometric shapes. Scientific advances in the late 19th century finally made it possible to observe their inner workings and discover what lies beneath their nature at the molecular level: an arrangement of matter that propagates infinitely in space. By influencing and inspiring artistic creation through disciplines such as architecture, painting and dance, this world of order, symmetry and harmony exerted a major impact on thought at the time.

The Crystallization of Dance is a unique stage experience in which science and art intertwine to offer their complementary visions of the beauty and meaning of crystals. Through a staging that combines words, images, dance and live music, the show establishes a dialogue between scientific thought and corporal expression. All this is accompanied by original music of guitarist and singer-songwriter María Marín, who will be enveloping the audience with her precise, evocative sound.

The project has been supported by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (Fecyt) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the National Scientific Research Council (CISC), DIPC and the collaboration of the INAEM-Ministry of Culture.

The scientist Juan Manuel García-Ruiz (Seville, 1953) is an Ikerbasque Research Professor at DIPC and an Emeritus Research Professor at the CSIC. His research focuses on the study of crystallization phenomena in fields such as the formation of giant crystals, self-organisation in biological and geological structures with implications for the origin of life, the detection of primitive life, and the manufacture of new materials. He leads the ambitious European ERC-Synergy project ‘Protos’ and is a cultural activist committed to the promotion of scientific culture and exchange between art and science.

Vanesa Aibar is an artist from a flamenco background who develops her work in the movement arts. Her stage creations have been a revelation in the world of contemporary flamenco, combining a deep knowledge of tradition with an innovative approach. Her most recent creation for the stage, “La Reina del Metal”, received the 2023 Max Award for Best Dance Performance and a mention among the best shows of 2023 in Amsterdam, according to the prestigious Dutch magazine Het Parool, among others. Other works by her include “Sierpe”, “Liminal”, “Mujer en Azul” and “Áspid”. She also forges alliances and collaborations with major artists such as Carmen Linares, Andrés Marín and Blanca Li.

María Marín, a singer-songwriter and guitarist born in Utrera (Seville), studied classical guitar in the Netherlands and is an artist with an open vision of flamenco; she has collaborated on jazz, classical and world music projects with major international artists such as Carles Benavent, Tomatito, Antonio Serrano and Javier Colina.