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diggSister moon, mother sun
Dance troupe puts modern take on ancient myth
A sisters murder and feminist makeover give a contemporary edge to ancient Aztec mythology in Coyolxauhqui ReMembers, a dance performance on March 17 and 18 at Pima Community College's Proscenium Theatre.
The newest production by renowned dance company Latina Dance Project of Albuquerque offers three modern takes on the myth of the moon goddess, her mother the sun goddess and her brother the war god.
Along with a portrayal of the original tale, the performance will include parallel stories that 21st century Latinas can relate to: a Brazilian professional woman battles the voice of self-empowerment; an immigrant uses plastic surgery to reinvent herself; and a young Mexican
factory worker who -- like more than 300 women murdered in Juarez in the past decade -- meets her fate.
The traditional interpretation of the legend paints Coyolxauhqui as a family traitor and evil daughter. In the Aztec story, Coyolxauhqui's mother, Coatlicue, the sun goddess, became magically pregnant when a crown of feathers fell in her lap. Believing her family had been
dishonored, the angry Coyolxauhqui plots to kill her. However, the war god Huitzilopochtli springs from the womb an adult and fully armored. He kills Coyolxauhqui, cuts off her head and flung it into the sky, where it became the moon.
Latina Dance ProjectÕs interpretation stays true to the feminist roots of company members.
"We all talked about the myth and it was a very organic process. We talked about the messages of empowerment, sacrifice, strength," says Licia Perea, recalling early discussions with Eva Tessler, Eluza Santos and Juanita Su‡rez, who founded the L.A.-based Latina Dance Project in 2002.
Because it originated long before iPods and X-boxes, creating modern-day connections to the moral lessons was key, say the composers.
"We wanted to make it relevant to the social issues of today...," Tessler says. "Throughout history, women have received the blame for many things or have been punished for being victims. Often they were women of vision, even Chicana feminist scholars."
The Proscenium Theatre is at 2202 W. Anklam Road, Tucson. Tickets for Coyolxauhqui are $10.75 - $18.75. For information call the Borderlands Theater Box Office at (520) 882-7406.
