TAMIU Dance Prof Performs in NYC

Earlier this month, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) assistant professor of Dance Traci Klein participated in a performance by Loteria Performing Arts at New York City’s Ailey Citigroup Theater.  

The performance, “ El Poliedro” (“The Polyhedron”), was presented by Loteria Performing Arts, a collaboration between Mexican and American dancers and visual artists.  

Professor Klein presented original choreography and performed in various pieces of choreography and structured improvisations.  She is a founding member of the project, which launched in 2012.

Artistic director Ivanova Aguilar, said Klein’s involvement has been fundamental to the group’s success.

"When I founded Loteria Performing Arts, I knew I wanted Traci to be a part of it.  I knew her knowledge and passion for dance would be a strong base for a new project. So far we have performed in three countries and audiences are as fascinated as I am with her dancing and her strong presence on the stage, " Aguilar said.

Named after the traditional Mexican game of chance, Lotería is a non-profit initiative promoting original collaborations between Mexican and American artists. It facilitates distinctive performances, multicultural exchanges, and educational events that serve as a powerful catalyst for both impactful artistic expression and valuable professional development.

Lotería performances are inspired by chance combinations of the namesake card game and creatively mesh dance, music, video and sculpture, allowing surprising and new ways for artists to express themselves. The collaboration has provided new opportunities for Mexican and American artists to successfully work together, learn from each other, and communicate their unique creations to diverse audiences.

Lotería has performed in Madrid, Mexico City and New York City and operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).

Loteria Performing Arts will be in residence at TAMIU in the Fall 2015 semester with assistance from a TAMIU institutional grant and an award from the Puffin Foundation.

Klein joined the TAMIU dance faculty in 2014.  She holds a BFA in Dance from Southern Methodist University and an MFA in Dance from New York University.

For additional information, please contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.

Photos by Nora Roitberg

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu