Salome Nieto

School of Contemporary Arts master's student in the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

I am originally from Mexico City, where I received my early dance training in contemporary dance. I moved to Vancouver in 1992 and currently live and create on the ancestral and unceded homelands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, now known as Burnaby BC, and where I raised my three children. As a Mexican-Canadian woman and a dance artist, I consider the intersections between my cultural identity, my modern dance practice, and my experience in butoh. My work to date explores themes of indigeneity, spirituality and feminism through interdisciplinary collaboration striving to create work that is challenging in its content and presentation.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO SFU?

I chose Simon Fraser University's MFA program because of its longstanding reputation for high-level education, faculty, and research opportunities in a stimulating and inspiring environment.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH OR YOUR PROGRAM TO A FAMILY MEMBER?

My project has three intersecting components that incorporate academic research with studio practice: It considers the significance of ritual and ceremony in the context of contemporary dance interrogating Eurocentric notions of performance; this includes the understanding of the body, the idea and use of space, relationship to the audience and presentation of my work. It explores the intersection between my cultural heritage and butoh aesthetics, deconstructing the Mexican female archetypes in performance. It examines diverse feminist views and ideas of identity and indigeneity to develop and articulate the theoretical framework for my practice.

WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOYING ABOUT YOUR STUDIES/RESEARCH AT SFU?

The support for my research from faculty and my cohort.

HAVE YOU BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF ANY MAJOR OR DONOR-FUNDED AWARDS? IF SO, PLEASE TELL US WHICH ONES AND A LITTLE ABOUT HOW THE AWARDS HAVE IMPACTED YOUR STUDIES AND/OR RESEARCH.

I am grateful to have received research and creation grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the British Columbia Arts Council, and the Province of British Columbia, including the Scholarship Award. Other awards include the Vancouver International Dance Festival 2018 Choreographic Award, a Graduate Fellowship and the Graduate Entrance Scholarship. I would not be able to create and produce work or complete my Graduate program without financial support. These are encouragement and validation to keep moving forward.

Contact : salome_nieto@sfu.ca

Additional Links 

• Personal Website 
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