¿ quiénes somos?


Founded in 2007 by Afrotaíno artist Mar Parrilla, Danza Orgánica is a Boston-based dance theater company whose work is centered around equity, social justice, and decolonization. With dancers from Borikén (so-called Puerto Rico), Mexico, República Dominicana, and España- DO brings forth a multiplicity of experiences with the common themes of migration, antiracism, and decolonization, towards the embodiment of a liberated future.
DO is currently in collaboration with members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe, through the project Âs Nupumukômun (We Still Dance). They are also in collaboration with a group of Puerto Rican artists based in Puerto Rico through the collective Proyecto Melaza, founded by Mar Parrilla.
DO's programming includes performance, education (Dance for Social Justice™), and our annual festival We Create. We honor our right to express our BIPOC experience, joyfully reimagine ourselves in liberated BIPOC bodies, and leave a legacy that sheds light upon an untold side of history.








Mar Parrilla 

Founding Artistic Director- Lead Choreographer

Producer- Educator

Taíno Afroborikua artist Mar Parrilla was birthed by Mother Earth in the Caribbean, Borikén (so called Puerto Rico). She is the Founding Artistic Director, and lead Choreographer of Danza Orgánica. Mar holds a Bachelor's Degree in Languages from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Master's Degree in Dance Education from New York University. Since 2014, Parrilla has produced the annual festival: We Create!-  devoted to promoting the work of BIPOC self-identified mujeres, and gender non-conforming artists. Mar is also an educator, and founder of the Dance for Social Justice™ program. She has served in public schools, colleges and universities in the United States since 1998. Besides Danza Orgánica she devotes her life to her spirituality, her solo artist practice, her family, and community organizing.   

detailed biography


 

Fran de Paula

Rehearsal Director
Company Member

Born in Andalusia, Spain, Fran started his dance studies in ballet and flamenco when he was 5 years old. De Paula has performed at the musical “El Diluvio Que Viene”, and operas such as “La Partenope”, “Un Ballo In Maschera” and “La Gioconda. He danced in “Lope” the movie, “Noche Sensacional” and “Verano Noche”. In Boston, he performed at Boston Dance Company’s Nutcracker, and worked as a ballroom dancing dance instructor and competitor with Arthur Murray. Fran has been a member of Danza Orgánica since 2010.





 Dey Hernández

Company Member

Dey is an architect, interdisciplinary artist, performance artist, and educator. She designs and directs workshops with AgitArte, a non-profit organization dedicated to artistic and popular education projects in marginalized communities. Dey is also a puppeteer of the Puerto Rico-based radical workers’ theater collective, Papel Machete. Her work and performances most recently have been exhibited at the Mills Gallery of the Boston Center for the Arts, and Loisaida Center in New York City. She is currently the art director and curator of When We Fight, We Win!






Claudia E. Varela 

Company Member

Claudia was born and raised in Reynosa, Mexico, where she danced with Academia de Danza La Scala and Casa de la Cultura de Reynosa. She graduated Cum Laude from UC San Diego with a Dance B.A. and a Bioengineering B.S. Varela believes that dance is a powerful way to protest and advocate for social justice, and in her choreographic work, she has explored issues such as, the drug violence affecting her hometown and the disappearing of 43 students in Ayotzinapa. Currently, Claudia is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology and is thrilled to have the opportunity to dance with Danza Orgánica. 






Marcel Santiago Marcelino

Company Member


Marcel Santiago Marcelino is a Domini-Rican dance artist born in Boston, MA. Marcel lived part of his childhood in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico before returning to the states. His creative practice is influenced by Caribbean, contemporary and improvisational dance methods. He is a Director’s Scholarship recipient and 2021 BFA graduate of the University of the Arts School of Dance, Dir. Donna Faye Burchfield. Marcel had the pleasure of spending part of a semester studying classical and contemporary dance at the Conservatorio Superior de Danza "María de Ávila" in Madrid, Spain. During his time at UArts, he collaborated and performed in work by Lauren Bakst at the Camping Dance Festival in Paris and Lyon, France. He has also had the pleasure of performing works by Sidra Bell, Katie Swords-Thurman, and Juel Lane amongst others. In 2021 Marcel joined Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers (Philly) and danced with the company as an apprentice for one season. In 2022, he returned to Boston and joined Urbanity Dance as a company dancer and faculty member. This year also marks Marcel’s first season with Danza Orgánica. 



 
 
company collaborators




Andrea Muñiz 

From San Juan, Puerto Rico, Andrea is a Boston based movement artist. Andrea is committed to the craft of channeling movement in collaborative environments. Their choreographic work lives on the edges of the physical and the imagined. In 2019, they graduated from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee with a BFA in Contemporary Dance Performance. They have performed with El Taller Juvenil de Andanza, The Robin Aren Company, and Boston Dance Theater. Andrea is currently an artist with Danza Orgánica. You can follow them on Instagram (@drea.muniz) to see more.



Victoria Sagardía 

Melaza Collaborator

Puerto Rican artist, Victoria Sagardía accomplished a Bachelor of Arts at Emerson College. She is ballet trained, and also trained with CoDa 21 in Puerto Rico. Victoria is thrilled to be dancing with Danza Orgánica.






Etienne Hernández
Melaza Collaborator

Etienne is from San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he began his training at La escuela Julian Blanco and Ballet Concierto. He graduated from the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid, with a Masters in choreography & performing arts. Hernandez performed throughout Spain with El Joven Ballet de Cámara de Madrid for 5 years. He was also a member of Ballet Brio in P.R, and has presented dance works internationally. Presently he teaches in Boston and around the north shore area and is delighted to be a member of Danza Orgánica.





Puerto Rico Based Proyecto Melaza Collaborators:

Giovanna Sosa, Jaime Maldonado, Marili Pizarro, Karlo Javier Martinez, Antonix Hernandez





TECHNICAL TEAM


Lighting Designers: 
Stephen Petrilli
Harrison Burke

Sound Engineer: 
Wendyam Emerson
 
 

do alumni:

Joya Powell

Sahar Javedani

Alicia Woo

Angela Dixon

Doreen Kramer

Jeca Rodríguez

Nicole Hirsch

Maria Molteni

Marissa Molinar

Tara Weaver

Kara Fili

Wayne Ong

Joe Gonzalez

Sakurako Awano 

Gabriela Silva

Terina Jasmin- Alladin

Juanita Pearl

Ashley Freeman

Ashly Jensen

Sarah Elaz

Chienhwe

Mckersin Previlus

Amy M. Burns

Earnest Gildon

Fray Cordero

Al Rosa