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Conceptualized, directed, and choreographed by Carlos Rivera
Performed by Patricia Rivera
Co-Presented by Aluna Theatre and Factory Theatre
An ode to women’s power and their ability to move mountains.
ROSA, a peasant Indigenous woman from Ixtacamaxtitlan, located in the highlands of Puebla State, flees her community with her six small children on her back. As she escapes a life of abuse at the hands of her husband and her in-laws, she crosses valleys, climbs mountains, and faces enormous challenges. After three weeks she arrives in Mexico City where she will face her greatest challenge yet: brutal discrimination. This will force her to make a choice that will have an impact on her, her children, and will reverberate for generations to come.
Through movement, theatre and documentary, ROSA highlights the female body, its relationship to the land, and its capacity to resist, survive, and transform.
Part of the CrossCurrents Canada Series
Made possible with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage
Creative Team:
Concept, director and choreographer: Carlos Rivera
Performer: Patricia Rivera
Sound scenography and Musical composition: Francisco Carrera
Lighting Design: Laura Dominguez
Costume builders: Carey Lees, Elena Vandakurova and Jolane Houle
Scenography concept: Carlos Rivera
Scenography builder: Blue (Corinna) Johnston
Make-up Design: Carlos Rivera
Texts: Justino Rivera and Francisco Carrera
Pre-recording voices: Maria Elva Zermeno, Carmen Vera, Randia de Sofia and Justino Rivera
Cultural consultant: Justino Rivera
Photography: Gerardo Montiel Klint, Carlos Rivera and Francisco Carrera
Video: Gerardo Montiel Klint and Carlos Rivera
Video Editing: Naomi Silver-Vezina
Technical Director: Francisco Carrera
Executive production: Arianna Suarez (Mexico) and Carlos Rivera (Canada)
Content Warnings
There is partial nudity in this show.
RUTAS International Festival of Performance
Since 2012, the RUTAS International Festival of Performance has established itself as the only event of its kind in Canada. Through our mission of Connecting the Americas through the Arts, the festival brings to Toronto some of the most innovative artists representing the bountiful cultural diversity of our continent. With breathtaking presentations in theatre, dance, and performance, RUTAS creates a TransAmerican experience of impeccable quality and excellence for all. Downtown Toronto becomes the meeting place for audiences from across the GTA to be inspired, moved, and entertained by a gamut of rich artistic experiences.
RUTAS is more than a festival. It is a commitment to building thriving communities.
This biennial festival was founded by Aluna Theatre. This celebrated award-winning company has brought the Latinx and other racialized communities to the forefront, changing the landscape of Canadian theatre.
About the Artists
Carlos Rivera
Carlos Rivera is a director, choreographer, actor and a dancer, originally from Mexico City, based in Montreal. He graduated from the Indigenous Residency Program at National Theatre School in 2018 and recently graduated from the MFA in Directing for Theatre Program at the University of Ottawa. Carlos has worked and collaborated with several performing arts companies across Canada, including: Red Sky Performance (Toronto), Globe Theatre (Regina), Raven Spirit Dance (Vancouver), MT Space (Kitchener), Puente Theatre (Victoria), Ondinnok (Montreal) Lemon Tree Creations (Toronto) Electric Company (Vancouver) Micro-Scope Productions (Montreal); among others. He is continuously working on numerous artistic projects in dance, film, theatre and performance.
Patricia Rivera
Patricia is a dancer and choreographer born in Mexico City and is a 2014 graduate from the National Dance School Nellie and Gloria Campobello. She is the founder and artistic director of Ts’ook a dance, a performing arts platform based in Mexico City. Patricia is an award winning performer who works as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer of original dance works that have been presented at the most well known venues in Mexico. She has worked and collaborated with some of the most important Mexican dance artists and companies like Triciclo Rojo, Danza Capital, and CEPRODAC-Center for The Creation and Production of Contemporary Dance, among others. She has toured to Colombia, Cuba, Argentina, USA, Japan, and Costa Rica
