The SRU dance company, Palenque: Colombian Dance Ensemble, directed and created by Melissa Teodoro, will be performing a new show titled “Yuma Dancing Down the Magdalena River” on Saturday, March 28.
Yuma will be performed at Pittsburgh’s August Wilson African American Cultural Center. At 6:30 p.m. individuals can gather for music, art and food in the lobby.
The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Teodoro is a professor at SRU and directs Palenque using her research from Colombia.
Yuma is based on Teodoro’s research of dances that are practiced on the banks of the Magdalena River in Colombia.
“Yuma is the indigenous word for Magdalena River…The indigenous peoples of Colombia were in Colombia before European contact, before African contact…so I wanted to honor the indigenous name of the river,” Teodoro said.
Last year, Teodoro explored the Magdalena River to witness the various regions, cultures and dances.
“I don’t want to say it’s a literal translation, [it’s] more of a poetic translation, and it’s a very personal story. So I combine traditional dances with a little bit of contemporary dance, and I have moments of demonstrating different aspects of the river throughout the program, Teodoro said. “I have a main character that portrays the role of a traveler who witnesses these different regions and areas of the river.”
Teodoro explained the process of preparing for Yuma.
“I think I can divide it into three different phases. The first phase was mostly an internal process of the river and myself, and that was done during my sabbatical in the spring of 2025. That’s when I had the chance to navigate down portions of the Magdalena River,” Teodoro said.
Teodoro took many notes, photos, videos and interviews, as well as learned dances to be able to bring the knowledge back to her students.
“Phase two was translating information and knowledge to the Palenque company, to my students,” Teodoro said. “Phase three is working with actual production of the dance concert. So, working with the stage manager, working with the production manager and working with publicity and with box office.”
Through frequent rehearsals, Palenque has been preparing for the new show.
Palenque members Abby Brubaker, Herrmann and Paula Rodriguez Alvarez spoke to The Rocket about how they feel that Yuma is different from usual Palenque performances.
“Yuma involves storytelling, not only within the repertoire as standalone pieces, but using all of our repertoire to tell this beautiful story of a journey throughout all of Colombia,” Rodriguez Alvarez said. “The way that Melissa was able to piece together this order is so genius, and I think that adds a little bit more dimension to how we perform these dances.”
“It gives more background to what each piece is about…than when we perform them by themselves, and you don’t really get the content behind [them],” Brubaker said. “I think the arc of the narrative kind of gives you more of a sense of that.”
“We are doing everything sequentially and the performance never stops. There’s no in-between of dropping in and out of the thing. It’s easier for me to stay in it and keep myself almost spiritually in the thing and in the dance, and it all just feels so much more connected,” Herrmann said.
The Palenque members discussed what the process has been like creating Yuma.
“I think a lot of my high school dance experience was like storytelling shows like this, but I was never as involved as I am right now, just given that I was a high school student versus now a college student,” Rodriguez Alvarez said. “With my role as costume co-coordinator, it has been certainly a lot of work, but I’ve also gotten to learn so much about Colombian culture. Through the costumes, through the props, through everything we’re doing. And I think it’s also been so magical watching Melissa put all of her research and everything she learned down in Colombia into this production.”
“I think it’s been even more informative for me as a dancer than our usual performances because of the context that Melissa has given it and the research that goes into it, Herrmann said. “So being able to see Colombia in real time and figuring out how to translate that to stage has definitely been a challenge. And contending with doing that in a way that is truthful and honorable to the Colombian culture and Colombia as a whole has been a challenge, but I think it’s also been very fulfilling for me.”
The students shared what they hope the audience gains from the performance.
“I think, as a Latina person, it’s hard being away from home and being in such a different environment. If anything, I hope the audience gains appreciation for how bright this culture is, how rich it is, and just exposure,” Rodriguez Alvarez said. “Getting exposed to new things, new music, new dance, new colors. I think it’s just such a wonderful thing to open up people’s eyes to what there is beyond the walls of America, especially being in a region that’s so far up north. It’s very important to make that culture available to people so that they learn essentially what they’re missing out on…encouraging people to travel and learn more and open up their eyes to how much diversity there is in the world.”
“I also hope that it incites joy in the audience…when I’ve been an audience member for performances that are sort of in similar aesthetics to the dance that we do, I have left feeling so joyful and so fulfilled just from watching the people on stage,” Herrmann said. “So I hope that the audience can find community with each other…and really feel like they’re also a part of the journey with us.”
“I think if people are there that have never witnessed this kind of cultural, joyful dancing…maybe [it can] broaden their perspectives of what dance can look like and what Colombian culture embodies,” Brubaker said.
Tickets can be purchased at the AWAACC Box Office or through these links:
Student Tickets (students should present their student ID at the door)
Individuals can read this article for more information about Palenque and their recent trip to Colombia.
The SRU Art Department will be displaying and selling their work during the event.
There will also be a bus offering free transport from Slippery Rock to Pittsburgh to take SRU students to the performance. If students are interested, they can contact Melissa Teodoro.
