August 3, 2022 • 39 mins
Today we get to chat with dancer, choreographer and creator Deviani Andrea. Come join us as we discuss origins, drum beats and cooking with tofu! Alongside our host Andrés Moreno, we dive into what makes a process unique, how do we breathe new life into our work and what is holding ourselves back from claiming our power.
- Guest: Deviani Andrea
- Handles:
- Hosted by Andrés Moreno
- IG: @Andres._.FM
- Theme by Just Moe
- IG: @iamjustmoe
- https://m.soundcloud.com/moewaves
- Sound Technician : Selina Painchaud
- Editing: Andrés Moreno
- Cover by: Andrés Moreno
Special thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts, Fringe Theatre, ATB Arts Barns, Azimuth Theatre and our community.
Learn more about Azimuth Theatre
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
THEME (00:04):
I'm gonna trust the whole damn process ,for the record,
till we breaking records!
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly journeys to the sky ,Azimuth
inside my grip always know the way now!
Beauty feel my days nowtake it day by day sound.
Couldn't be proudercuz you know, we alive!
ANDRÉS: (00:25):
Hi, everyone.
Welcome once again, to In Process Azimuththeatre's podcast, highlighting artistry
and the process of being an artist.
Today, I have a veryspecial guest with me.
Somebody who I consider a very closefriend, even though we haven't known
each other for a very long time, wehave worked on many projects together
and we've shared many meals together.
(00:47):
So welcome to the podcast.
Deviani Andrea . Welcome.
, I'm just excited to chat with you.
I would love it if you couldstart off by just telling us
a little bit about your story,
DEVIANI: (00:57):
Yeah.
Well, my name, my full name as a goodLatina, it's long it's but I go by
Deviani Andrea and yeah, I grew up andI was born and raised in Mexico city.
I studied there till college.
I finish degree there inliterature and Spanish language.
(01:18):
So I know about linguisticsand I know about like,
interesting things about Spanish.
Yeah, I'm here in Canada because mydad moved here several years ago.
So I always had the idea of coming toCanada after I finished my degree, but
I had no idea like what to do when todo it, how, you know, I had no plan.
(01:39):
My only plan was to go toCanada and then, I don't know.
I guess I trusted Deviani inthat moment and I felt like,
okay, yeah, I can manage it.
So yeah, the first time I spenthere long time was in 2018.
I spent maybe four to five months.
I was doing research at theuniversity of Alberta and then went
(01:59):
back to Mexico, finished my degree.
I did my my research, my Thesis Idefended -defended it and then came back.
But that, that was an interestingmoment because I came back in 2019, I
spent the summer in Montreal, which wasdelightful and horrible at the same time.
like the city's so captivating,but since I don't speak French, it
(02:21):
was just really hard to connect.
And I'm a person who likesto be around with people.
So yeah, I was very lonely that time.
And that's the reason why I decided tomove back to Edmonton because I said
like, okay, the community there is great.
They were very welcomingand just really nice people.
You know, I also have family here,the boy I like was here as well.
(02:43):
So I feel like, okay.
Yeah.
Makes, makes sense for me to go there.
And at that moment Alberta was so like,you know, trendy because we had the
highest minimum wage on like in Canada.
So yeah, Alberta was a good place to be.
So yeah, when I, when Icame here, I just find.
Small works, you know, like in a coffeeshop here and that in retail, just what
(03:08):
what immigrants call survival jobs.
ANDRÉS: (03:11):
Mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (03:11):
and then like early in 2020 before everything happened, I
said like, you know what, I've beentraining as a dancer for a long time.
This is the thing I wanna do.
So I'm just gonna do it.
like, honestly, that,that was my decision.
ANDRÉS: (03:26):
Just gonna jump in and do it.
DEVIANI: (03:27):
Yeah.
Just gonna just, why not, you know,like reset the bottom and then yeah.
So since then, I, and it's also like apersonal commitment, you know, when you
present yourself as something, I usually,I usually present myself as, yeah.
I study literature, butwhat, what does that mean?
You know, I'm not a writer, I'm not likea literature, critics or something.
(03:50):
So I, that never fit with meor I couldn't make it fit.
but dancer is something that I have veryclear and I have experimented before.
And just the thing that really, Idon't know, I just felt so powerful
presenting myself as a dancer, you know,and fake it till you'll make it kind
of So since that, since that momentin January, my birthday is in January.
(04:15):
So that reflection moment happened.
And that was when I saidlike, okay, I'm gonna do it.
Yeah, the Edmonton communityhas been like open doors.
You know, like if youwanna do it, come here.
We have space, we have opportunities.
Of course you have to work and youhave to networking and you have to
write grants and find connections.
But it's something.
(04:36):
Like, I don't think it will be thiseasy anywhere in the world, you know,
not in Mexico, in Mexico, it's verycompetitive, not in big Canadian cities.
You know, if you go to Toronto, if youlike it, it's gonna be really hard to
make a name for yourself from yourself.
So yeah, that's the story of how Ibecame an artist here in Edmonton.
ANDRÉS: (04:59):
I love that because especially in this career, like it's never a straight
line, you know, it's like, I, I did whatI had to I survived and now here we are.
But I love that, that moment thatyou said it's like, when you present
yourself as something mm-hmm andthere's so much power in the spoken word.
DEVIANI: (05:15):
Yeah, definitely.
ANDRÉS: (05:16):
Now getting into your dancing, what was your gateway?
Obviously as Latinx people, dance is apart of our tradition and our culture.
DEVIANI: (05:24):
Mm-hmm mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (05:24):
however, like what was kind of that first instinct?
Do you remember thinkingI want to be a dancer.
DEVIANI: (05:30):
This is gonna sound very cheesy, but I was like four years
old and taking my ballet class, youknow, and I remember I had, it's kind
of one of my first memories in thislife, you know of me changing my shoes
from my street shoes to my dance shoes.
And I was like, whoa, this is like sonice space because dance space, it's also
(05:51):
very unique, you know, it's truly emptyand, and that's, that's everything you
need an empty room, you know, sometimesif you, if you want mirrors, okay.
But just you need a space.
So that moment was really important.
Like I just.
I just hold to it.
And then I'm, I cut my, my dancecareer because I had, I, I was
(06:14):
born with orthopedic issues.
So I had to go through treatment, youknow, maybe like for three years I
had to wear these very heavy, awfulshoes, you know, for, to correct how I
was walking mm-hmm and the orthopedicsays like, no ballet, no dance at all.
You know, like, this is somethingthat you are not gonna be able to
do because your feet has to recover.
(06:37):
And at that moment I was like,okay, whatever, you know,
like you are five years old.
What, what do you care?
So just like you said, being Latino, youyou're always dancing, like social dancing
is it's a big part of who we are and
ANDRÉS: (06:49):
it's a way of life, right?
DEVIANI: (06:51):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think it's the, the thing, one ofthe things that I really most enjoy of my
heritage but yeah, so moving forward whenI was 17 one of the perks in Mexico in
general, and especially in Mexico city,is there, there are a lot of arts school,
public arts schools, you know, thatyou don't have to pay to study an art.
ANDRÉS: (07:11):
Oh, cool.
DEVIANI: (07:12):
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's fantastic.
So I entered to Mexico city, Mexico city'sdance school to train in folk dance.
Because I said like, okay, if notball, not ballet, contemporary is
weird, so I'm gonna do folk dance.
And I trained there.
I joined some companies in Mexico,but there is kind of, you have
to do it because you love it.
(07:32):
Not because you wanna makemoney out of it, you know?
ANDRÉS: (07:35):
Yeah.
DEVIANI: (07:35):
So even if I was in the national company of folk dance, we
had pay like we receive money everythree months and very minimal money.
So after that I well, I injured myknee in folk dance and the doctors
told me, like, you have to strengththe muscles around your knee.
You can do gym.
(07:57):
Like you go, you can goto the gym, which I did.
But after a few months it getsboring, you know, doing the
same thing every single day.
ANDRÉS: (08:04):
Right.
(Laughs)
DEVIANI: (08:05):
Yes.
I mean, I like it, butjust for periods of time.
And then, and then what happened?
Oh, yes.
So gym or also, they told melike, you can do ballet or
you can do contemporary dance.
And I was like, what?
Like, I, I don't know.
But then I ask the orthopedics thattreat me several years ago and he
said like, okay, well, if it's justrecreational, of course you can do it.
(08:28):
You know, like you cannot dopoint shoes because of your
feet, but yes, let's do it.
So that was so the, my folk injury wasthe getaway to contemporary dance, you
know, that was very soft and very onthe floor and not eventually I, I train
in Graham and different techniques.
But yeah, that was the story.
(08:50):
So I grew up without having an ideaof becoming a, a dancer and it it's
weird to start your career later.
You know, when you are like ayoung adult, it's almost kind of
like, why are you even doing this?
You know, you, you had to betraining for since your child.
But yeah, that's what I did.
ANDRÉS: (09:10):
Mm-hmm I mean, if I may, I think, I think it's interesting that
you mentioned that it's weird to startyour career late, cuz I also didn't
start anything in theater until I was 18
DEVIANI: (09:21):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (09:21):
you know, it took me a while to even get into the world.
And so sometimes it's like, youhave to give yourself that time to
grow and to be who you want to beto be like, yeah, I'm gonna do that.
DEVIANI: (09:31):
Yeah.
And I also think that it's hard tosay that if you're 17, if you're
18, you are late to begin something.
It's just like, what, whatare you talking about?
You're on your prime, you know, likeI believe every year is your prime.
You can do everything youwant whenever you want it.
But being hard on young peoplesaying like, Ooh, so you are
(09:53):
15, but you have no experience.
So no, no.
I think it's part of the toxic environmentthat surrounds performative arts.
ANDRÉS: (10:01):
I, 100% degree.
I think anybody should be allowedto enter this world if they want
to, at whatever age they want to.
DEVIANI: (10:08):
Like being here in Edmonton Mexico city is a way
younger city than Edmonton
ANDRÉS: (10:13):
mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (10:14):
But being here and there's dance groups for what they call mature women,
you know, 50 and older, and they arecreating beautiful pieces, you know, a lot
of expressivity that, that they developedthrough the years, mm-hmm like, yes,
maybe a 15 years old has the technique andthey can do like huge kicks and whatever.
(10:35):
But like to be standing on thestage and, and, you know, delivering
these softness and delicacy, I thinkit's something that you develop.
And, I dunno.
I really like that groupit's called "Initial Six" I
think they're six dancers.
So they develop work for theirphysical capacities, you know, and
(10:55):
the, the, well, the spiritual orartistic quest that, that you get,
or you face when you are that age.
Which is very interesting to watch.
ANDRÉS: (11:06):
Mm-hmm totally.
So where do you drawyour inspiration from?
For your pieces or whenever, like, likeyou said, you're standing in an empty
room, like what is kind of, do youhave a process that you like to go to?
DEVIANI: (11:18):
That's a very interesting question.
I will say that as an emerging artist, Ithink that I'm discovering my own process.
You know, I have the feeling or thisidea that I want to learn as much
as possible, but I also wanna share.
So yeah, I go to an empty, emptyspace and then I start moving.
(11:38):
I usually record myself and then I justwatch it trying to be not judgmental.
, you know, like, like justlike, what is my body doing?
What I are, the patterns that Ican find that also happens in the
moment, you know, like when you'removing your body, it's like, okay,
maybe my body goes towards the right.
Most of the time instead of theleft, you know, those kind of things.
(12:01):
So, yeah, I think, I think that it'sthe process that I am right now.
So answering your question of inspiration,I think, I think from everywhere, because
I see good everywhere and I like, youknow, I'm just walk walking and oh,
look at the, the trees and, you know,I try to, and I don't even try, you
(12:25):
know, it's just, it's just the way I am.
And then after that I have discoveredsomething that I like, then I
try to discover why I liked it.
Because I have the feeling that ifyou question what you like instead
of why you like it, you are puttinga lot of walls in front of you.
ANDRÉS: (12:41):
So what would you say is your favorite part of telling story
through your body and especiallythrough the movement that your
body specifically can offer?
DEVIANI: (12:55):
That is a question that really talks to my current process.
ANDRÉS: (13:01):
Mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (13:01):
because I, I question if dance can tell stories and how can
dance make it, you know, or do itwhy, why am I doing those questions?
Because one of the books that I love and Irecommend to everyone who like to get into
the arts dance movement it's just "Theart of making dances" by Doris Humphrey.
(13:25):
Okay.
She was a dancer, like maybe inthe forties or like pre like maybe
80 years ago from the states.
And she is very technical.
That's the reason why I like whatshe wrote, but she talks about dance
being in connection with emotionsand that telling stories in dance.
It's a long process.
(13:46):
You know, she puts, she writes thisexample of when you're talking to
someone, you can easily say, this is myfather-in-law , but when you are doing
that in dance, you have to develop a longpiece and trying to make the familiar
connections easily understandable.
And when you are talking, youonly use five or four words, you
(14:08):
know, this is my father-in-law.
So it's this right.
Stories or logic againstfeelings or non- logic, I guess
ANDRÉS: (14:18):
like visceral kind of knowledge, you know?
DEVIANI: (14:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I grew up with that idea,but then reading and seeing what
people are doing nowadays is justlike, no, dance can tell stories.
And right now I'mobsessed with two dancers.
One it's pretty old and she'sdead and she was German.
Her name was Mary Wigman.
And what I like about her is that shework most of the time in solo and she
(14:44):
created stories like character stories.
Maybe it's not like, okay, the characterstarts here and goes here, and this
is the adventure or blah, blah, blah,but creates a character that just that
character can invite you to the world.
You know, she has this dance called thewitch dance and it's just magnificent.
(15:05):
It's two minutes, but you can, you geta real feeling of what that, what kind
of magic that witch uses, you know?
So yeah, I, I I'm very inspiredby her and by telling the stories
through dance that way Yeah.
And the other artists she's they are alocal artist called Tia Ashley Kushniruk.
I recently listened to oneto one interview that they
(15:27):
did and they talk about, yeah.
How can dance create stories?
And maybe it's not like a traditionalstory, but they're they are talking
about the stories that happened toyou, you know, like inside of you and
how can movement uh, recreate that.
So I highly recommend that interview.
I don't remember the name ofthe interview, but Tia Ashley
(15:48):
Kushniruk is the name of the artist.
ANDRÉS: (15:51):
That's perfect.
So this is a very much like a RuPaulquestion, you know, like if you could
talk to yourself as a younger artist, orif you could share something with younger
artists who are maybe just startingtheir, their journey down this career, is
there something in specific that comes tomind that you'd love to share with them?
DEVIANI: (16:11):
Yeah.
Maybe, maybe two things and oneis related to other as long as I
can remember something that reallystopped me for saying I'm a dancer
early in my training was that fear.
Of like financial fear, youknow, like in Mexico, everyone
(16:32):
was like, you're gonna die.
You know, you're gonna starveyourself to death if you, if you
dedicate your life to the arts.
So I didn't, I didn't have the supportto really go for it until I move
to a place Edmonton where financialstability can be more like easily
(16:52):
achieved in comparation to Mexico city
.Wherever you do.
If you don't, if you do not committo it, you're not gonna enjoy it.
And you're gonna havestruggles everywhere, you know?
So yeah, maybe you can study somethingas stable as, I don't know, accounting,
but if you do not put work into it,you're not gonna make any of it.
(17:13):
You know?
So arts is just like that,that it it's really demanding.
Like you really need to want it, youknow, because once you have focused
your mind, you're gonna find 10,000plans to make it work, you know?
So, so don't be discouragedabout the monetary situation.
(17:33):
It's crappy everywhere.
So if you can find somethingthat it's your passion and,
and you really wanna make it.
Just do it and don't be naive either.
You know, like I started tofreelance again quite recently.
So one of my friends told me like, Hey,don't be ashamed of having, you know,
of working on McDonald's or somethinglike to have a part-time job, because
(17:58):
she told me this is kind of the way youmake it work at the beginning, you know?
Yeah.
Sometimes you can make a lot of moneywith arts, you know, to have three
projects in a month or something, andthat's the dream, but sometimes you
go three months without any projectsor what are you gonna do there?
So yeah, just be, justbe smart, be practical.
Don't don't don't marry to an idealike, oh yeah, the, the artist's life
(18:23):
has to be like this or like that.
But yeah, just.
Just don't miss your, your objectivesand the things that you wanna do.
ANDRÉS: (18:30):
Totally!
And I think it's important to, tokeep in mind that as much as this is
a beautiful way of expression, liketo take it as a career, you do have
to take it as a career, you know,
DEVIANI: (18:40):
mm-hmm,
ANDRÉS: (18:40):
like just any other career.
Yes.
Yes.
And surround yourself with peoplewho are amazing and who are willing
to help you or, or even willing tolisten, you know, without judging or
without saying like, oh, you shouldhave chosen a different career.
DEVIANI: (18:56):
Yeah, support is everything.
And something, something that I havelearned is that it's, I prefer to have
friends than to have money because withfriends, you have a lot of opportunities,
you know a lot of, of connections,even if you want to, I don't know, do
something as silly as go camping, youknow, someone will let you loan you.
ANDRÉS: (19:17):
Yeah.
Loan you,
someone will loan you, um,
things to camp, you know,I have never camped, but,
(Laughs)
let's go camping.
Yeah.
yeah.
AD: (19:31):
The “In Process” podcast is brought to you by the Canada Council
for the Arts and Azimuth Theatre'sTraversing, the Azimuth multimedia branch.
It's our aim to continue to introduceand deepen the relationship between our
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If you would like to donate to the causeto keep this podcast going, you can
go to www.Azimuththeatre.com/donate tohelp the continuation of this podcast.
ANDRÉS: (20:09):
How do you think we can continue to bring new air and
new exploration into these oldart forms that we we practice in?
I think about theater and dancespecifically, cuz you're a dancer.
These are older art forms that comewith their own systemic values,
come with their own systemic setups.
How do we bring new, newair and new life into them?
DEVIANI: (20:31):
Mm, well, , we are, I dunno, millennials and gen Z.
So , I can say internet iseverything and new technologies.
I personally am not very, like, at thispoint in my career, I want to play with
video, you know, but just because ofCOVID but I'm very rooted in my body.
(20:52):
Mm-hmm but some artists here inEdmonton, they are creating crazy
things and magnificent things usingtechnology in theater and in dance,
you know, they create there's thisdancer here called Aaron Tempest.
And what they wanna do is just toexpand the limits of the body through.
(21:16):
Through digital things, youknow, so they are a dancer.
Yeah.
They train as a dancer, butthey work with projections.
And, and what I really like abouttheir work is that they create a
very immersive space, you know?
So yeah, you're, you're, you arelooking a body dancing, but you are
(21:39):
also hearing all this noise and with allthese lights and small, you know, it's
just some, something very interesting.
It's something thatit's, it's an experience.
And I think incorporating these newtechnologies brings back that, that
eagerness to see something live, youknow because being on zoom, it's so
(22:00):
comfortable, you know, like, okay.
Yes, I'm gonna catch myfriend's show streaming.
Okay.
Which is nice as well.
But to go there and to see someonejust expressing themselves right there.
And it's gonna, it'snever gonna be the same.
It's something quite unique.
So I will say that technology, youknow, just to explore, you will
(22:23):
find something there, you know?
Yeah.
I'm not a very technological person.
But yeah, I like video.
And maybe also, and of course, , Ithink that we should give space
to different voices, you know,mm-hmm, , I'm so lucky to be part.
Oh, I don't know.
I don't know if I can say this already,but I'm working with with an indigenous
(22:44):
writer she created at this theatricalpiece, I'm gonna be dancing then, but,
but it's theater and just we went toa workshop and that was the first time
that I went to a reserve, for example.
And I learned a lot of how indigenouspeople see the world, you know, how
they give like characteristic to everyanimal and everything is connected.
(23:08):
And these were a workshop for femalebodies or, or bodies with a uterus..
So, so how they relate to that and, andeveryone like male or female or variations
in between they're they are very connectedto these quote unquote femininity, because
we all come from womb, you know, so Iwas just, wow, my mind blow that moment.
(23:34):
And, and I think it's a very weird,a unique and unique opportunity.
Like, I don't know if everyone here inEdmonton even has had that opportunity.
So I will suggest just tobring different voices.
Like if you want to tell a storyfrom the black community, talk
to someone who belongs to thatcommunity or Asian communities talk
(23:57):
to some, you know mm-hmm, people.
Sometimes we believe that, oh, nocultural appropriation, but most of the
times people are open to share what theydo, you know, and what they believe.
I dunno.
I just think that if you, if you'reinterested in something and if you
want to work without something,for example, right now I'm very in
(24:18):
relation with Afro Latino beats
So I'm not Afro descendant, but yetI'm, I'm learning about the story
and learning about the bad partsof the story, you know history.
Sorry.
So yeah, just, just open your, yourears and your heart and talk to
someone who looks different than you!
(24:38):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (24:39):
And I mean, as artists, we should be striving for
representation in the most purest form.
Right.
And what's better than startingoff with like the actual, I mean,
I hate to call it like the, thesource, but it's like go talk to the
person who lives that experience.
DEVIANI: (24:53):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (24:53):
Get that knowledge so that then you can represent it purely, you know?
DEVIANI: (24:58):
Because a lot of, a lot of misunderstandings happen
because you are you, you guess?
Oh, I think that person who grew up inpoverty will want to have this and no,
what they want is just like, you know,clean water or something so basic that you
cannot see unless you talk to that person.
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (25:17):
Totally.
But -go ahead.
No, please.
DEVIANI: (25:19):
Yes.
Yes.
Sorry.
I just, since we were talking aboutinterest in Latin American music for
this piece, and also talking aboutto talk about, to talk with people
who, with different experiences Iwould like to talk to talk about this
music that is very, that it's heavilyinspiring my piece and my creative
(25:39):
process, because of course, as a dancer,dance is also so connected to music.
Mm-hmm that you can, you can escapemusic, but most of the time music
it's a driven force in your creation.
So yeah, I'm very excited about workingwith, I been listening to Celia Cruz.
ANDRÉS: (25:57):
Yeah you have
DEVIANI: (25:58):
she- she's a goddess.
Right.
But I'm, I'm interested in,in listening to her first
album with La Sonora Matancera
so in that album, I think it was fromthe 62 or 58, something like that.
You can really appreciate theAfricans roots in, in, in Cuba right.
So yeah, you, you, you listen toMerengue you listen to Salsa very
(26:22):
Latin very hype music, but some, somesongs are very like African ish with
the drums and just the way she sings.
It's so interesting to just tolisten and to see how connected
we are to that, to that continent.
You know, that sometimes weforget about it and like, yeah.
(26:42):
My Spanish ancestors, but alsolike we have that seed in our
culture, even if we are not likephysically, we don't resemble them.
Yeah.
And once again, I don't know if I'mgonna use that beat in my piece.
Mm-hmm but it's something thatreally is caught my intention.
Like I can, I can say Celia Cruz in Cuba.
(27:04):
I can
also say Totó laMomposina, from Colombia.
Yeah.
Regardless your origin
just listen to celia Cruz.
ANDRÉS: (27:11):
Exactly.
The queen for a reason so do you have.
A project you've you maybe haven'tbeen able to work on, or anything
that you've kind of thought aboutdoing that you haven't gotten
to yet, but it keeps popping up?
DEVIANI: (27:26):
I think, and once again, I, I don't have an answer for that yet.
Mm-hmm because I started my career a yearand a half ago, you know, January, 2020.
And yeah, I, it was, it waslike crossed by a pandemic.
But something that I would like toshare is that I took this amazing
(27:48):
workshop with Christopher Houseand he's a big name in Toronto.
Right.
And in the Canadian dance community and inthis workshop we, we work with I also have
to mention Banff Centerfor the Arts because
they gave me a grant for that workshop.
So
thank you, Banff Center for the Arts.
Um, Well, yeah, in this workshop we work with work making decisions
(28:10):
fast and working with the first, withthe first thing that attract you.
ANDRÉS: (28:15):
Mm-hmm,
DEVIANI: (28:15):
you know, because sometimes we, we say like, oh
yeah, I wanna do this, but, but no,no, no, there's not enough there.
So I should move on.
Or, you know, with just, like I said,we put walls to our own desires.
But yeah, since I took this workshopearly, when I was, when I was building
my own image to myself as a dancerand I had these You know this input
(28:39):
of "yeah you can work with thefirst idea that comes to your mind".
Mm-hmm , you know, you don't have togo like eventually during the process,
you will have to go deeper, but youdon't have to prove to anyone that, that
initial idea or that initial feeling,or just because you wanna work with
a color that makes no sense or has nointention, or has no depth, you know?
(29:03):
So yeah, right now, connectingto your question there is
no recurrent theme already.
I think it will eventually come, andalso something that I learned from that
workshop, Christopher House is amazing,but one thing that he used to say, and I
didn't understand at that moment becauseI hadn't start to create something.
(29:24):
He call it the violence ofmaking choices, you know?
And I was like, yeah, whatever.
But then when you are, when youare developing something you
wanna do everything, you knowlike, oh yeah, this idea is cool.
And this, this, this, this, this,but then you have to choose like
ANDRÉS: (29:40):
mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (29:40):
okay.
Okay.
You are not gonna create a dance.
That's three hours long.
You know, you're not gonnabe on stage that long.
The audience will drop dead of boredom,you know, so, so yeah, it's, it's
also that maybe that's the reasonwhy I like to, to start small because
you, you grow and then it's easierto go small again, to make decisions.
ANDRÉS: (30:03):
I love this idea of the violence of making choices.
DEVIANI: (30:06):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (30:06):
it hearkens back to something I've heard in my past,
which is in writing there's somethingwhere it's called kill your child.
DEVIANI: (30:12):
Oof.
I know.
Sounds super rough (Laughs) yeah.
Yeah.
But it's the idea of like, this thing you write is your child and
you're gonna love it, but as the creator,you also have to, again, with, with
making choices, you have to look at itand be like, okay, does this not work?
If it doesn't mm-hmm cut it out.
Yeah.
And, and it's, and it's a, a sortof process, you know, like, because
(30:35):
maybe this, this doesn't makethe story move, move forward, but
it's important for the context soyeah, making choices is not easy.
But it's something that as,as a creator, you have to do.
And I think as a business person oras whatever you're doing, you will, you
will, you're a human being, you know,you have to make choices once in a while.
ANDRÉS: (30:57):
Yeah.
Totally, and, and you have to, you haveto follow and trust that the choice comes
from that impetus that you had originally.
DEVIANI: (31:04):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (31:04):
you know, mm-hmm so we've talked a lot about work, however,
I've been finding , that balance likeyou were talking is really important.
And so what's one thing thatyou go to when you wanna relax.
DEVIANI: (31:16):
Oh, jigsaw puzzles.
ANDRÉS: (31:18):
Really?!
DEVIANI: (31:19):
I love them.
Yes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
It's very mm-hmm, , it's something that,that requires a lot of your attention
and you need to be like, you can belistening to music or whatever, but
you only, it's only you and the pieces.
Yeah.
You know, and the puzzleand I can spend hours there.
(31:40):
And it's very calming.
I realized that this summer, becauseI was, I was, it was a crazy summer,
you know, super busy because after,after a year pandemic, you would
just wanna say yes to everything.
Yeah.
But yeah, going back to my place, Iwas just like, okay, I'm just drink
something, water or a tea or anything, and
(32:01):
then just puzzle puzzling, you
know, mm-hmm, , it's very calming.
ANDRÉS: (32:06):
I, I
never, in a million years
would've expected jigsaw puzzles to come out of your mouth.
DEVIANI: (32:10):
No?!
ANDRÉS: (32:11):
That's beautiful.
I dunno, just cuz I know you like, you'resuch a move, moving around person all
the time that the idea of you sittingstill and like doing a, a puzzle.
Just it.
It's not something I, Iimagined, I love that.
DEVIANI: (32:25):
It's it's because my, my ascendant is Virgo and
people who know astrology willknow what I mean about that.
I, I, yeah.
I, I find such pleasure and calm, justmaking calendars and organizing my
things and then jigsaw puzzles and justmaking everything look clean and in
order, it's the thing I do to relax.
ANDRÉS: (32:48):
as a fellow Virgo ascendant.
I understand completely.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
So going along with like, you know,balancing and finding rest something
that's and I think it's because of myculture, like, I think food is such a
big part of my identity and also likewhat I do to like relax, you know?
Do you have a treat that you like to,like, if you're like," I'm going to
(33:10):
treat myself to something edible today!"
What is it?
DEVIANI: (33:13):
Mm, chips.
Salt, vinegar chips are amazingand this is something that I.
That I the first time I triedthem was here in Canada.
Mm-hmm because in Mexico
we put Chile to everything.
So we don't have these of flavors in food.
We only eat spicy.
Yeah.
so yeah, it's that, butalso connecting to the food.
(33:36):
I following this new page ofvegan, I'm not a vegan, I eat
everything, but also incorporatingvegan dishes to your, to your diet.
It's, you know, interesting.
Mm-hmm so, yeah, I'm learninga lot about how to cook
tofu and tempeh and different
kinds of grains to gain, to have different types of protein.
(33:58):
And that is a different process, youknow, because when you cook meat,
it's just like, okay, put it there.
And, and you're all in five minutes,it's gonna be ready, but there you'll
have to chop and have to seasonit and have to do this and that.
And it's just it's a longer process.
Mm-hmm I have to admit that.
But it's just so enjoyable, you know,because you start to smell the spices
(34:19):
and then to see how all the colorsmixed and, and at least for myself, my
stomachs really, really likes vegan food.
It's easy to digest.
Mm-hmm so yeah, also I wouldn'tsay that I, that I cook to relax
because it's a long process and thatyou have to do a lot of cleaning.
But I do enjoy cooking.
ANDRÉS: (34:40):
I feel the same way.
It's like, I love to cook.
I just hate after you've done eatingand you just like you look around
.DEVIANI:: And also what I learned about vegan food.
It's that it's kind of a lot of.
These dishes are with arebased on Asian recipes.
So there are a lot of flavors thatI'm not familiar with and a lot
(35:03):
of different sauces and a lot ofdifferent combinations that I'm just
loving, you know, it's just so good.
And I'm really happy.
I, I think I can, I can saythat had not been in Canada.
I wouldn't have tried that kind ofcuisine, you know, just like I wouldn't
try Polish food and those kind of flavorsmm-hmm because Mexican food is Mexican
(35:25):
food and, and it's so easily accessible,down there, and it's so cheap and it's
so good that you, you don't have toopen your culinary experiences when
you live down there, but here becauseof migration and because different
cultures being so like together.
Mm yeah.
You can experience a lotof things through food.
(35:47):
And I just, I, I just, foodis how I breach my cultural
differences to anyone, you know?
Yeah.
Have you ever tried, like doing tofu inlike a Mexican dish or anything like that?
DEVIANI: (35:58):
No, but I have tried to do like vegan PCA, which is,
uh,
like ground beef, but vegan.
Okay.
Yeah.
Last question for you that I have preparedis like, do you have a dream project?
I have two answers for that question.
The first one is, yes, my dreamproject will involve a lot
(36:21):
of people dancing on stage.
There is this amazing, amazing work
by a Quebecois choreographer,
I don't remember his name, but his piece is quite of quite legendary.
It's called "Joe" and on stage they'relike, I don't know, maybe 50 dancers.
Okay.
(36:41):
And it's just so, mm.
Yeah, I really, I really hope thatwhoever is listening to the podcast.
Can can see that piece, Joe, butyeah, so, so my, my dream project
will be something like that.
That be a big amount ofdancers dancing together.
But I also feel like my- I'm, Ifollow this Instagram influencer
(37:05):
who calls himself from Toronto.
He call he calls himself an "Artivist."
ANDRÉS: (37:11):
Ooh.
DEVIANI: (37:11):
And I'm really interested in that term.
I think I need to findmy own way to define it.
But he's involved in the BlackLives Matter community and just
is a driven
force, well, of arts in Toronto of arts made by black community people.
Mm-hmm , which is great.
But here my experience in Edmontonand as a dancer and as a dance
(37:34):
teacher has led me to be more involvedin different parts of society.
You know, I have experienceworking with homeless people.
I have experience working withpeople who are recovering from
addictions or substance use.
And I have
seen how dance and reconnected
to the body, because once you, once you enter in that path
of drugs use, and sometimes youjust don't feel your body anymore.
ANDRÉS: (37:59):
Mm-hmm,
,you know, you're just away from yourself So yeah, maybe my dream project is
to create something that can, wheredance is not it's not so elevated,
you know, it's just not for dancers,but also like kind of arts therapy.
But I don't like to say artstherapy because arts therapy it's
(38:21):
so influenced by therapy and therapyhas, well, it has its own issues.
You know what I mean?
but yeah, something where peoplejust find ways to be comfortable
in their bodies and gain, youknow, power and also yes, yes.
Yeah.
Maybe that's my, my dream project andsomething that will eventually come after
(38:45):
I tour the whole entire world, you know,and just be an amazing dancer, then I
will do something for the community.
It has been my pleasure to have you tochat with you to learn so much about you.
Like it's it's wonderful.
And it's beautiful.
And I want to thank you for giving me your
time today.
No thank you.
DEVIANI: (39:02):
And
thank you to Azimuth Theatre,
for having me, I hope audience have a nice, nice time listening to this.
ANDRÉS: (39:09):
I'm sure they will.
Thank you.
DEVIANI: (39:11):
Thank you.
Hey pal, enjoying the conversation?
Traversing the Azimuth is abrand new branch of Azimuth
Theatre aimed at connecting
AD: (39:19):
artists with a wider community, deepening mutual understanding,
and getting to share eachartist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out by
going to AzimuthTheatre.com/sponsorshipand sponsor traversing the Azimuth.
Your sponsorship
will go straight into paying more artists to come and share what it means
(39:40):
for them to be proudly in process.
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts, for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more
information on Traversing, the Azimuthgo to AzimuthTheatre.com/traversing.
Woo!
I'm gonna trust the whole damn process ,for the record,
till we breaking records!
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly journeys to the sky ,Azimuth
inside my grip always know the way now!
Beauty feel my days nowtake it day by day sound.
Couldn't be proudercuz you know, we alive!
ANDRÉS: (00:25):
Hi, everyone.
Welcome once again, to In Process Azimuththeatre's podcast, highlighting artistry
and the process of being an artist.
Today, I have a veryspecial guest with me.
Somebody who I consider a very closefriend, even though we haven't known
each other for a very long time, wehave worked on many projects together
and we've shared many meals together.
(00:47):
So welcome to the podcast.
Deviani Andrea . Welcome.
, I'm just excited to chat with you.
I would love it if you couldstart off by just telling us
a little bit about your story,
DEVIANI: (00:57):
Yeah.
Well, my name, my full name as a goodLatina, it's long it's but I go by
Deviani Andrea and yeah, I grew up andI was born and raised in Mexico city.
I studied there till college.
I finish degree there inliterature and Spanish language.
(01:18):
So I know about linguisticsand I know about like,
interesting things about Spanish.
Yeah, I'm here in Canada because mydad moved here several years ago.
So I always had the idea of coming toCanada after I finished my degree, but
I had no idea like what to do when todo it, how, you know, I had no plan.
(01:39):
My only plan was to go toCanada and then, I don't know.
I guess I trusted Deviani inthat moment and I felt like,
okay, yeah, I can manage it.
So yeah, the first time I spenthere long time was in 2018.
I spent maybe four to five months.
I was doing research at theuniversity of Alberta and then went
(01:59):
back to Mexico, finished my degree.
I did my my research, my Thesis Idefended -defended it and then came back.
But that, that was an interestingmoment because I came back in 2019, I
spent the summer in Montreal, which wasdelightful and horrible at the same time.
like the city's so captivating,but since I don't speak French, it
(02:21):
was just really hard to connect.
And I'm a person who likesto be around with people.
So yeah, I was very lonely that time.
And that's the reason why I decided tomove back to Edmonton because I said
like, okay, the community there is great.
They were very welcomingand just really nice people.
You know, I also have family here,the boy I like was here as well.
(02:43):
So I feel like, okay.
Yeah.
Makes, makes sense for me to go there.
And at that moment Alberta was so like,you know, trendy because we had the
highest minimum wage on like in Canada.
So yeah, Alberta was a good place to be.
So yeah, when I, when Icame here, I just find.
Small works, you know, like in a coffeeshop here and that in retail, just what
(03:08):
what immigrants call survival jobs.
ANDRÉS: (03:11):
Mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (03:11):
and then like early in 2020 before everything happened, I
said like, you know what, I've beentraining as a dancer for a long time.
This is the thing I wanna do.
So I'm just gonna do it.
like, honestly, that,that was my decision.
ANDRÉS: (03:26):
Just gonna jump in and do it.
DEVIANI: (03:27):
Yeah.
Just gonna just, why not, you know,like reset the bottom and then yeah.
So since then, I, and it's also like apersonal commitment, you know, when you
present yourself as something, I usually,I usually present myself as, yeah.
I study literature, butwhat, what does that mean?
You know, I'm not a writer, I'm not likea literature, critics or something.
(03:50):
So I, that never fit with meor I couldn't make it fit.
but dancer is something that I have veryclear and I have experimented before.
And just the thing that really, Idon't know, I just felt so powerful
presenting myself as a dancer, you know,and fake it till you'll make it kind
of So since that, since that momentin January, my birthday is in January.
(04:15):
So that reflection moment happened.
And that was when I saidlike, okay, I'm gonna do it.
Yeah, the Edmonton communityhas been like open doors.
You know, like if youwanna do it, come here.
We have space, we have opportunities.
Of course you have to work and youhave to networking and you have to
write grants and find connections.
But it's something.
(04:36):
Like, I don't think it will be thiseasy anywhere in the world, you know,
not in Mexico, in Mexico, it's verycompetitive, not in big Canadian cities.
You know, if you go to Toronto, if youlike it, it's gonna be really hard to
make a name for yourself from yourself.
So yeah, that's the story of how Ibecame an artist here in Edmonton.
ANDRÉS: (04:59):
I love that because especially in this career, like it's never a straight
line, you know, it's like, I, I did whatI had to I survived and now here we are.
But I love that, that moment thatyou said it's like, when you present
yourself as something mm-hmm andthere's so much power in the spoken word.
DEVIANI: (05:15):
Yeah, definitely.
ANDRÉS: (05:16):
Now getting into your dancing, what was your gateway?
Obviously as Latinx people, dance is apart of our tradition and our culture.
DEVIANI: (05:24):
Mm-hmm mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (05:24):
however, like what was kind of that first instinct?
Do you remember thinkingI want to be a dancer.
DEVIANI: (05:30):
This is gonna sound very cheesy, but I was like four years
old and taking my ballet class, youknow, and I remember I had, it's kind
of one of my first memories in thislife, you know of me changing my shoes
from my street shoes to my dance shoes.
And I was like, whoa, this is like sonice space because dance space, it's also
(05:51):
very unique, you know, it's truly emptyand, and that's, that's everything you
need an empty room, you know, sometimesif you, if you want mirrors, okay.
But just you need a space.
So that moment was really important.
Like I just.
I just hold to it.
And then I'm, I cut my, my dancecareer because I had, I, I was
(06:14):
born with orthopedic issues.
So I had to go through treatment, youknow, maybe like for three years I
had to wear these very heavy, awfulshoes, you know, for, to correct how I
was walking mm-hmm and the orthopedicsays like, no ballet, no dance at all.
You know, like, this is somethingthat you are not gonna be able to
do because your feet has to recover.
(06:37):
And at that moment I was like,okay, whatever, you know,
like you are five years old.
What, what do you care?
So just like you said, being Latino, youyou're always dancing, like social dancing
is it's a big part of who we are and
ANDRÉS: (06:49):
it's a way of life, right?
DEVIANI: (06:51):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think it's the, the thing, one ofthe things that I really most enjoy of my
heritage but yeah, so moving forward whenI was 17 one of the perks in Mexico in
general, and especially in Mexico city,is there, there are a lot of arts school,
public arts schools, you know, thatyou don't have to pay to study an art.
ANDRÉS: (07:11):
Oh, cool.
DEVIANI: (07:12):
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's fantastic.
So I entered to Mexico city, Mexico city'sdance school to train in folk dance.
Because I said like, okay, if notball, not ballet, contemporary is
weird, so I'm gonna do folk dance.
And I trained there.
I joined some companies in Mexico,but there is kind of, you have
to do it because you love it.
(07:32):
Not because you wanna makemoney out of it, you know?
ANDRÉS: (07:35):
Yeah.
DEVIANI: (07:35):
So even if I was in the national company of folk dance, we
had pay like we receive money everythree months and very minimal money.
So after that I well, I injured myknee in folk dance and the doctors
told me, like, you have to strengththe muscles around your knee.
You can do gym.
(07:57):
Like you go, you can goto the gym, which I did.
But after a few months it getsboring, you know, doing the
same thing every single day.
ANDRÉS: (08:04):
Right.
(Laughs)
DEVIANI: (08:05):
Yes.
I mean, I like it, butjust for periods of time.
And then, and then what happened?
Oh, yes.
So gym or also, they told melike, you can do ballet or
you can do contemporary dance.
And I was like, what?
Like, I, I don't know.
But then I ask the orthopedics thattreat me several years ago and he
said like, okay, well, if it's justrecreational, of course you can do it.
(08:28):
You know, like you cannot dopoint shoes because of your
feet, but yes, let's do it.
So that was so the, my folk injury wasthe getaway to contemporary dance, you
know, that was very soft and very onthe floor and not eventually I, I train
in Graham and different techniques.
But yeah, that was the story.
(08:50):
So I grew up without having an ideaof becoming a, a dancer and it it's
weird to start your career later.
You know, when you are like ayoung adult, it's almost kind of
like, why are you even doing this?
You know, you, you had to betraining for since your child.
But yeah, that's what I did.
ANDRÉS: (09:10):
Mm-hmm I mean, if I may, I think, I think it's interesting that
you mentioned that it's weird to startyour career late, cuz I also didn't
start anything in theater until I was 18
DEVIANI: (09:21):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (09:21):
you know, it took me a while to even get into the world.
And so sometimes it's like, youhave to give yourself that time to
grow and to be who you want to beto be like, yeah, I'm gonna do that.
DEVIANI: (09:31):
Yeah.
And I also think that it's hard tosay that if you're 17, if you're
18, you are late to begin something.
It's just like, what, whatare you talking about?
You're on your prime, you know, likeI believe every year is your prime.
You can do everything youwant whenever you want it.
But being hard on young peoplesaying like, Ooh, so you are
(09:53):
15, but you have no experience.
So no, no.
I think it's part of the toxic environmentthat surrounds performative arts.
ANDRÉS: (10:01):
I, 100% degree.
I think anybody should be allowedto enter this world if they want
to, at whatever age they want to.
DEVIANI: (10:08):
Like being here in Edmonton Mexico city is a way
younger city than Edmonton
ANDRÉS: (10:13):
mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (10:14):
But being here and there's dance groups for what they call mature women,
you know, 50 and older, and they arecreating beautiful pieces, you know, a lot
of expressivity that, that they developedthrough the years, mm-hmm like, yes,
maybe a 15 years old has the technique andthey can do like huge kicks and whatever.
(10:35):
But like to be standing on thestage and, and, you know, delivering
these softness and delicacy, I thinkit's something that you develop.
And, I dunno.
I really like that groupit's called "Initial Six" I
think they're six dancers.
So they develop work for theirphysical capacities, you know, and
(10:55):
the, the, well, the spiritual orartistic quest that, that you get,
or you face when you are that age.
Which is very interesting to watch.
ANDRÉS: (11:06):
Mm-hmm totally.
So where do you drawyour inspiration from?
For your pieces or whenever, like, likeyou said, you're standing in an empty
room, like what is kind of, do youhave a process that you like to go to?
DEVIANI: (11:18):
That's a very interesting question.
I will say that as an emerging artist, Ithink that I'm discovering my own process.
You know, I have the feeling or thisidea that I want to learn as much
as possible, but I also wanna share.
So yeah, I go to an empty, emptyspace and then I start moving.
(11:38):
I usually record myself and then I justwatch it trying to be not judgmental.
, you know, like, like justlike, what is my body doing?
What I are, the patterns that Ican find that also happens in the
moment, you know, like when you'removing your body, it's like, okay,
maybe my body goes towards the right.
Most of the time instead of theleft, you know, those kind of things.
(12:01):
So, yeah, I think, I think that it'sthe process that I am right now.
So answering your question of inspiration,I think, I think from everywhere, because
I see good everywhere and I like, youknow, I'm just walk walking and oh,
look at the, the trees and, you know,I try to, and I don't even try, you
(12:25):
know, it's just, it's just the way I am.
And then after that I have discoveredsomething that I like, then I
try to discover why I liked it.
Because I have the feeling that ifyou question what you like instead
of why you like it, you are puttinga lot of walls in front of you.
ANDRÉS: (12:41):
So what would you say is your favorite part of telling story
through your body and especiallythrough the movement that your
body specifically can offer?
DEVIANI: (12:55):
That is a question that really talks to my current process.
ANDRÉS: (13:01):
Mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (13:01):
because I, I question if dance can tell stories and how can
dance make it, you know, or do itwhy, why am I doing those questions?
Because one of the books that I love and Irecommend to everyone who like to get into
the arts dance movement it's just "Theart of making dances" by Doris Humphrey.
(13:25):
Okay.
She was a dancer, like maybe inthe forties or like pre like maybe
80 years ago from the states.
And she is very technical.
That's the reason why I like whatshe wrote, but she talks about dance
being in connection with emotionsand that telling stories in dance.
It's a long process.
(13:46):
You know, she puts, she writes thisexample of when you're talking to
someone, you can easily say, this is myfather-in-law , but when you are doing
that in dance, you have to develop a longpiece and trying to make the familiar
connections easily understandable.
And when you are talking, youonly use five or four words, you
(14:08):
know, this is my father-in-law.
So it's this right.
Stories or logic againstfeelings or non- logic, I guess
ANDRÉS: (14:18):
like visceral kind of knowledge, you know?
DEVIANI: (14:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I grew up with that idea,but then reading and seeing what
people are doing nowadays is justlike, no, dance can tell stories.
And right now I'mobsessed with two dancers.
One it's pretty old and she'sdead and she was German.
Her name was Mary Wigman.
And what I like about her is that shework most of the time in solo and she
(14:44):
created stories like character stories.
Maybe it's not like, okay, the characterstarts here and goes here, and this
is the adventure or blah, blah, blah,but creates a character that just that
character can invite you to the world.
You know, she has this dance called thewitch dance and it's just magnificent.
(15:05):
It's two minutes, but you can, you geta real feeling of what that, what kind
of magic that witch uses, you know?
So yeah, I, I I'm very inspiredby her and by telling the stories
through dance that way Yeah.
And the other artists she's they are alocal artist called Tia Ashley Kushniruk.
I recently listened to oneto one interview that they
(15:27):
did and they talk about, yeah.
How can dance create stories?
And maybe it's not like a traditionalstory, but they're they are talking
about the stories that happened toyou, you know, like inside of you and
how can movement uh, recreate that.
So I highly recommend that interview.
I don't remember the name ofthe interview, but Tia Ashley
(15:48):
Kushniruk is the name of the artist.
ANDRÉS: (15:51):
That's perfect.
So this is a very much like a RuPaulquestion, you know, like if you could
talk to yourself as a younger artist, orif you could share something with younger
artists who are maybe just startingtheir, their journey down this career, is
there something in specific that comes tomind that you'd love to share with them?
DEVIANI: (16:11):
Yeah.
Maybe, maybe two things and oneis related to other as long as I
can remember something that reallystopped me for saying I'm a dancer
early in my training was that fear.
Of like financial fear, youknow, like in Mexico, everyone
(16:32):
was like, you're gonna die.
You know, you're gonna starveyourself to death if you, if you
dedicate your life to the arts.
So I didn't, I didn't have the supportto really go for it until I move
to a place Edmonton where financialstability can be more like easily
(16:52):
achieved in comparation to Mexico city
.Wherever you do.
If you don't, if you do not committo it, you're not gonna enjoy it.
And you're gonna havestruggles everywhere, you know?
So yeah, maybe you can study somethingas stable as, I don't know, accounting,
but if you do not put work into it,you're not gonna make any of it.
(17:13):
You know?
So arts is just like that,that it it's really demanding.
Like you really need to want it, youknow, because once you have focused
your mind, you're gonna find 10,000plans to make it work, you know?
So, so don't be discouragedabout the monetary situation.
(17:33):
It's crappy everywhere.
So if you can find somethingthat it's your passion and,
and you really wanna make it.
Just do it and don't be naive either.
You know, like I started tofreelance again quite recently.
So one of my friends told me like, Hey,don't be ashamed of having, you know,
of working on McDonald's or somethinglike to have a part-time job, because
(17:58):
she told me this is kind of the way youmake it work at the beginning, you know?
Yeah.
Sometimes you can make a lot of moneywith arts, you know, to have three
projects in a month or something, andthat's the dream, but sometimes you
go three months without any projectsor what are you gonna do there?
So yeah, just be, justbe smart, be practical.
Don't don't don't marry to an idealike, oh yeah, the, the artist's life
(18:23):
has to be like this or like that.
But yeah, just.
Just don't miss your, your objectivesand the things that you wanna do.
ANDRÉS: (18:30):
Totally!
And I think it's important to, tokeep in mind that as much as this is
a beautiful way of expression, liketo take it as a career, you do have
to take it as a career, you know,
DEVIANI: (18:40):
mm-hmm,
ANDRÉS: (18:40):
like just any other career.
Yes.
Yes.
And surround yourself with peoplewho are amazing and who are willing
to help you or, or even willing tolisten, you know, without judging or
without saying like, oh, you shouldhave chosen a different career.
DEVIANI: (18:56):
Yeah, support is everything.
And something, something that I havelearned is that it's, I prefer to have
friends than to have money because withfriends, you have a lot of opportunities,
you know a lot of, of connections,even if you want to, I don't know, do
something as silly as go camping, youknow, someone will let you loan you.
ANDRÉS: (19:17):
Yeah.
Loan you,
someone will loan you, um,
things to camp, you know,I have never camped, but,
(Laughs)
let's go camping.
Yeah.
yeah.
AD: (19:31):
The “In Process” podcast is brought to you by the Canada Council
for the Arts and Azimuth Theatre'sTraversing, the Azimuth multimedia branch.
It's our aim to continue to introduceand deepen the relationship between our
community and the artists within it.
If you would like to donate to the causeto keep this podcast going, you can
go to www.Azimuththeatre.com/donate tohelp the continuation of this podcast.
ANDRÉS: (20:09):
How do you think we can continue to bring new air and
new exploration into these oldart forms that we we practice in?
I think about theater and dancespecifically, cuz you're a dancer.
These are older art forms that comewith their own systemic values,
come with their own systemic setups.
How do we bring new, newair and new life into them?
DEVIANI: (20:31):
Mm, well, , we are, I dunno, millennials and gen Z.
So , I can say internet iseverything and new technologies.
I personally am not very, like, at thispoint in my career, I want to play with
video, you know, but just because ofCOVID but I'm very rooted in my body.
(20:52):
Mm-hmm but some artists here inEdmonton, they are creating crazy
things and magnificent things usingtechnology in theater and in dance,
you know, they create there's thisdancer here called Aaron Tempest.
And what they wanna do is just toexpand the limits of the body through.
(21:16):
Through digital things, youknow, so they are a dancer.
Yeah.
They train as a dancer, butthey work with projections.
And, and what I really like abouttheir work is that they create a
very immersive space, you know?
So yeah, you're, you're, you arelooking a body dancing, but you are
(21:39):
also hearing all this noise and with allthese lights and small, you know, it's
just some, something very interesting.
It's something thatit's, it's an experience.
And I think incorporating these newtechnologies brings back that, that
eagerness to see something live, youknow because being on zoom, it's so
(22:00):
comfortable, you know, like, okay.
Yes, I'm gonna catch myfriend's show streaming.
Okay.
Which is nice as well.
But to go there and to see someonejust expressing themselves right there.
And it's gonna, it'snever gonna be the same.
It's something quite unique.
So I will say that technology, youknow, just to explore, you will
(22:23):
find something there, you know?
Yeah.
I'm not a very technological person.
But yeah, I like video.
And maybe also, and of course, , Ithink that we should give space
to different voices, you know,mm-hmm, , I'm so lucky to be part.
Oh, I don't know.
I don't know if I can say this already,but I'm working with with an indigenous
(22:44):
writer she created at this theatricalpiece, I'm gonna be dancing then, but,
but it's theater and just we went toa workshop and that was the first time
that I went to a reserve, for example.
And I learned a lot of how indigenouspeople see the world, you know, how
they give like characteristic to everyanimal and everything is connected.
(23:08):
And these were a workshop for femalebodies or, or bodies with a uterus..
So, so how they relate to that and, andeveryone like male or female or variations
in between they're they are very connectedto these quote unquote femininity, because
we all come from womb, you know, so Iwas just, wow, my mind blow that moment.
(23:34):
And, and I think it's a very weird,a unique and unique opportunity.
Like, I don't know if everyone here inEdmonton even has had that opportunity.
So I will suggest just tobring different voices.
Like if you want to tell a storyfrom the black community, talk
to someone who belongs to thatcommunity or Asian communities talk
(23:57):
to some, you know mm-hmm, people.
Sometimes we believe that, oh, nocultural appropriation, but most of the
times people are open to share what theydo, you know, and what they believe.
I dunno.
I just think that if you, if you'reinterested in something and if you
want to work without something,for example, right now I'm very in
(24:18):
relation with Afro Latino beats
So I'm not Afro descendant, but yetI'm, I'm learning about the story
and learning about the bad partsof the story, you know history.
Sorry.
So yeah, just, just open your, yourears and your heart and talk to
someone who looks different than you!
(24:38):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (24:39):
And I mean, as artists, we should be striving for
representation in the most purest form.
Right.
And what's better than startingoff with like the actual, I mean,
I hate to call it like the, thesource, but it's like go talk to the
person who lives that experience.
DEVIANI: (24:53):
Yes.
ANDRÉS: (24:53):
Get that knowledge so that then you can represent it purely, you know?
DEVIANI: (24:58):
Because a lot of, a lot of misunderstandings happen
because you are you, you guess?
Oh, I think that person who grew up inpoverty will want to have this and no,
what they want is just like, you know,clean water or something so basic that you
cannot see unless you talk to that person.
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (25:17):
Totally.
But -go ahead.
No, please.
DEVIANI: (25:19):
Yes.
Yes.
Sorry.
I just, since we were talking aboutinterest in Latin American music for
this piece, and also talking aboutto talk about, to talk with people
who, with different experiences Iwould like to talk to talk about this
music that is very, that it's heavilyinspiring my piece and my creative
(25:39):
process, because of course, as a dancer,dance is also so connected to music.
Mm-hmm that you can, you can escapemusic, but most of the time music
it's a driven force in your creation.
So yeah, I'm very excited about workingwith, I been listening to Celia Cruz.
ANDRÉS: (25:57):
Yeah you have
DEVIANI: (25:58):
she- she's a goddess.
Right.
But I'm, I'm interested in,in listening to her first
album with La Sonora Matancera
so in that album, I think it was fromthe 62 or 58, something like that.
You can really appreciate theAfricans roots in, in, in Cuba right.
So yeah, you, you, you listen toMerengue you listen to Salsa very
(26:22):
Latin very hype music, but some, somesongs are very like African ish with
the drums and just the way she sings.
It's so interesting to just tolisten and to see how connected
we are to that, to that continent.
You know, that sometimes weforget about it and like, yeah.
(26:42):
My Spanish ancestors, but alsolike we have that seed in our
culture, even if we are not likephysically, we don't resemble them.
Yeah.
And once again, I don't know if I'mgonna use that beat in my piece.
Mm-hmm but it's something thatreally is caught my intention.
Like I can, I can say Celia Cruz in Cuba.
(27:04):
I can
also say Totó laMomposina, from Colombia.
Yeah.
Regardless your origin
just listen to celia Cruz.
ANDRÉS: (27:11):
Exactly.
The queen for a reason so do you have.
A project you've you maybe haven'tbeen able to work on, or anything
that you've kind of thought aboutdoing that you haven't gotten
to yet, but it keeps popping up?
DEVIANI: (27:26):
I think, and once again, I, I don't have an answer for that yet.
Mm-hmm because I started my career a yearand a half ago, you know, January, 2020.
And yeah, I, it was, it waslike crossed by a pandemic.
But something that I would like toshare is that I took this amazing
(27:48):
workshop with Christopher Houseand he's a big name in Toronto.
Right.
And in the Canadian dance community and inthis workshop we, we work with I also have
to mention Banff Centerfor the Arts because
they gave me a grant for that workshop.
So
thank you, Banff Center for the Arts.
Um, Well, yeah, in this workshop we work with work making decisions
(28:10):
fast and working with the first, withthe first thing that attract you.
ANDRÉS: (28:15):
Mm-hmm,
DEVIANI: (28:15):
you know, because sometimes we, we say like, oh
yeah, I wanna do this, but, but no,no, no, there's not enough there.
So I should move on.
Or, you know, with just, like I said,we put walls to our own desires.
But yeah, since I took this workshopearly, when I was, when I was building
my own image to myself as a dancerand I had these You know this input
(28:39):
of "yeah you can work with thefirst idea that comes to your mind".
Mm-hmm , you know, you don't have togo like eventually during the process,
you will have to go deeper, but youdon't have to prove to anyone that, that
initial idea or that initial feeling,or just because you wanna work with
a color that makes no sense or has nointention, or has no depth, you know?
(29:03):
So yeah, right now, connectingto your question there is
no recurrent theme already.
I think it will eventually come, andalso something that I learned from that
workshop, Christopher House is amazing,but one thing that he used to say, and I
didn't understand at that moment becauseI hadn't start to create something.
(29:24):
He call it the violence ofmaking choices, you know?
And I was like, yeah, whatever.
But then when you are, when youare developing something you
wanna do everything, you knowlike, oh yeah, this idea is cool.
And this, this, this, this, this,but then you have to choose like
ANDRÉS: (29:40):
mm-hmm
DEVIANI: (29:40):
okay.
Okay.
You are not gonna create a dance.
That's three hours long.
You know, you're not gonnabe on stage that long.
The audience will drop dead of boredom,you know, so, so yeah, it's, it's
also that maybe that's the reasonwhy I like to, to start small because
you, you grow and then it's easierto go small again, to make decisions.
ANDRÉS: (30:03):
I love this idea of the violence of making choices.
DEVIANI: (30:06):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (30:06):
it hearkens back to something I've heard in my past,
which is in writing there's somethingwhere it's called kill your child.
DEVIANI: (30:12):
Oof.
I know.
Sounds super rough (Laughs) yeah.
Yeah.
But it's the idea of like, this thing you write is your child and
you're gonna love it, but as the creator,you also have to, again, with, with
making choices, you have to look at itand be like, okay, does this not work?
If it doesn't mm-hmm cut it out.
Yeah.
And, and it's, and it's a, a sortof process, you know, like, because
(30:35):
maybe this, this doesn't makethe story move, move forward, but
it's important for the context soyeah, making choices is not easy.
But it's something that as,as a creator, you have to do.
And I think as a business person oras whatever you're doing, you will, you
will, you're a human being, you know,you have to make choices once in a while.
ANDRÉS: (30:57):
Yeah.
Totally, and, and you have to, you haveto follow and trust that the choice comes
from that impetus that you had originally.
DEVIANI: (31:04):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (31:04):
you know, mm-hmm so we've talked a lot about work, however,
I've been finding , that balance likeyou were talking is really important.
And so what's one thing thatyou go to when you wanna relax.
DEVIANI: (31:16):
Oh, jigsaw puzzles.
ANDRÉS: (31:18):
Really?!
DEVIANI: (31:19):
I love them.
Yes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
It's very mm-hmm, , it's something that,that requires a lot of your attention
and you need to be like, you can belistening to music or whatever, but
you only, it's only you and the pieces.
Yeah.
You know, and the puzzleand I can spend hours there.
(31:40):
And it's very calming.
I realized that this summer, becauseI was, I was, it was a crazy summer,
you know, super busy because after,after a year pandemic, you would
just wanna say yes to everything.
Yeah.
But yeah, going back to my place, Iwas just like, okay, I'm just drink
something, water or a tea or anything, and
(32:01):
then just puzzle puzzling, you
know, mm-hmm, , it's very calming.
ANDRÉS: (32:06):
I, I
never, in a million years
would've expected jigsaw puzzles to come out of your mouth.
DEVIANI: (32:10):
No?!
ANDRÉS: (32:11):
That's beautiful.
I dunno, just cuz I know you like, you'resuch a move, moving around person all
the time that the idea of you sittingstill and like doing a, a puzzle.
Just it.
It's not something I, Iimagined, I love that.
DEVIANI: (32:25):
It's it's because my, my ascendant is Virgo and
people who know astrology willknow what I mean about that.
I, I, yeah.
I, I find such pleasure and calm, justmaking calendars and organizing my
things and then jigsaw puzzles and justmaking everything look clean and in
order, it's the thing I do to relax.
ANDRÉS: (32:48):
as a fellow Virgo ascendant.
I understand completely.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
So going along with like, you know,balancing and finding rest something
that's and I think it's because of myculture, like, I think food is such a
big part of my identity and also likewhat I do to like relax, you know?
Do you have a treat that you like to,like, if you're like," I'm going to
(33:10):
treat myself to something edible today!"
What is it?
DEVIANI: (33:13):
Mm, chips.
Salt, vinegar chips are amazingand this is something that I.
That I the first time I triedthem was here in Canada.
Mm-hmm because in Mexico
we put Chile to everything.
So we don't have these of flavors in food.
We only eat spicy.
Yeah.
so yeah, it's that, butalso connecting to the food.
(33:36):
I following this new page ofvegan, I'm not a vegan, I eat
everything, but also incorporatingvegan dishes to your, to your diet.
It's, you know, interesting.
Mm-hmm so, yeah, I'm learninga lot about how to cook
tofu and tempeh and different
kinds of grains to gain, to have different types of protein.
(33:58):
And that is a different process, youknow, because when you cook meat,
it's just like, okay, put it there.
And, and you're all in five minutes,it's gonna be ready, but there you'll
have to chop and have to seasonit and have to do this and that.
And it's just it's a longer process.
Mm-hmm I have to admit that.
But it's just so enjoyable, you know,because you start to smell the spices
(34:19):
and then to see how all the colorsmixed and, and at least for myself, my
stomachs really, really likes vegan food.
It's easy to digest.
Mm-hmm so yeah, also I wouldn'tsay that I, that I cook to relax
because it's a long process and thatyou have to do a lot of cleaning.
But I do enjoy cooking.
ANDRÉS: (34:40):
I feel the same way.
It's like, I love to cook.
I just hate after you've done eatingand you just like you look around
.DEVIANI:: And also what I learned about vegan food.
It's that it's kind of a lot of.
These dishes are with arebased on Asian recipes.
So there are a lot of flavors thatI'm not familiar with and a lot
(35:03):
of different sauces and a lot ofdifferent combinations that I'm just
loving, you know, it's just so good.
And I'm really happy.
I, I think I can, I can saythat had not been in Canada.
I wouldn't have tried that kind ofcuisine, you know, just like I wouldn't
try Polish food and those kind of flavorsmm-hmm because Mexican food is Mexican
(35:25):
food and, and it's so easily accessible,down there, and it's so cheap and it's
so good that you, you don't have toopen your culinary experiences when
you live down there, but here becauseof migration and because different
cultures being so like together.
Mm yeah.
You can experience a lotof things through food.
(35:47):
And I just, I, I just, foodis how I breach my cultural
differences to anyone, you know?
Yeah.
Have you ever tried, like doing tofu inlike a Mexican dish or anything like that?
DEVIANI: (35:58):
No, but I have tried to do like vegan PCA, which is,
uh,
like ground beef, but vegan.
Okay.
Yeah.
Last question for you that I have preparedis like, do you have a dream project?
I have two answers for that question.
The first one is, yes, my dreamproject will involve a lot
(36:21):
of people dancing on stage.
There is this amazing, amazing work
by a Quebecois choreographer,
I don't remember his name, but his piece is quite of quite legendary.
It's called "Joe" and on stage they'relike, I don't know, maybe 50 dancers.
Okay.
(36:41):
And it's just so, mm.
Yeah, I really, I really hope thatwhoever is listening to the podcast.
Can can see that piece, Joe, butyeah, so, so my, my dream project
will be something like that.
That be a big amount ofdancers dancing together.
But I also feel like my- I'm, Ifollow this Instagram influencer
(37:05):
who calls himself from Toronto.
He call he calls himself an "Artivist."
ANDRÉS: (37:11):
Ooh.
DEVIANI: (37:11):
And I'm really interested in that term.
I think I need to findmy own way to define it.
But he's involved in the BlackLives Matter community and just
is a driven
force, well, of arts in Toronto of arts made by black community people.
Mm-hmm , which is great.
But here my experience in Edmontonand as a dancer and as a dance
(37:34):
teacher has led me to be more involvedin different parts of society.
You know, I have experienceworking with homeless people.
I have experience working withpeople who are recovering from
addictions or substance use.
And I have
seen how dance and reconnected
to the body, because once you, once you enter in that path
of drugs use, and sometimes youjust don't feel your body anymore.
ANDRÉS: (37:59):
Mm-hmm,
,you know, you're just away from yourself So yeah, maybe my dream project is
to create something that can, wheredance is not it's not so elevated,
you know, it's just not for dancers,but also like kind of arts therapy.
But I don't like to say artstherapy because arts therapy it's
(38:21):
so influenced by therapy and therapyhas, well, it has its own issues.
You know what I mean?
but yeah, something where peoplejust find ways to be comfortable
in their bodies and gain, youknow, power and also yes, yes.
Yeah.
Maybe that's my, my dream project andsomething that will eventually come after
(38:45):
I tour the whole entire world, you know,and just be an amazing dancer, then I
will do something for the community.
It has been my pleasure to have you tochat with you to learn so much about you.
Like it's it's wonderful.
And it's beautiful.
And I want to thank you for giving me your
time today.
No thank you.
DEVIANI: (39:02):
And
thank you to Azimuth Theatre,
for having me, I hope audience have a nice, nice time listening to this.
ANDRÉS: (39:09):
I'm sure they will.
Thank you.
DEVIANI: (39:11):
Thank you.
Hey pal, enjoying the conversation?
Traversing the Azimuth is abrand new branch of Azimuth
Theatre aimed at connecting
AD: (39:19):
artists with a wider community, deepening mutual understanding,
and getting to share eachartist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out by
going to AzimuthTheatre.com/sponsorshipand sponsor traversing the Azimuth.
Your sponsorship
will go straight into paying more artists to come and share what it means
(39:40):
for them to be proudly in process.
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts, for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more
information on Traversing, the Azimuthgo to AzimuthTheatre.com/traversing.
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