Celebrating 30 years with art photographer Damian Siqueiros
Roger Sinha and the 30th anniversary photo shoot
30 years after Roger Sinha’s remarkable debut, we chose to celebrate and to show where we are today as a dance company through photography. To make the 30th anniversary photo shoot possible, the only thing missing was a photographer who had at once a deep understanding of culture and identity and the ability to capture the beauty of movement. One person came to mind instantly: Damian Siqueiros and his exceptional capacity to create striking and transformative visual experiences. We sincerely hoped he would accept!
Damian Siqueiros, performance art photographer
Originally from Baja California in Mexico, Damian who has a background in painting, later studied photography and makeup techniques. In his photos, he uses his mastery of colours, perspective and composition, just as he would on a canvas. It’s not a coincidence that he is among the best photographers of his generation! His work received much recognition and he presented over 60 exhibits internationally, including at the prestigious Tambaran gallery in New York.
Throughout his career, he specialized in performing arts photography, and his passion for dance led him to work with companies such as Sidi Larbi, Les Grands Ballets de Montréal, Danse Danse, José Navas, Margie Gillis and many more. Damian definitely has many artistic affinities with the founder of Sinha Danse, Roger Sinha. They both push the boundaries of their art forms and proudly represent Montreal’s cultural and artistic diversity. And…well, you’re reading this article, so Damian said yes to this brilliant and most exciting collaboration!
Giving full creative freedom for amazing results
With all his expertise, we could only give him Carte Blanche for our 30th anniversary photo shoot. His only guidelines: 4 dancers, 2 sets of costumes and the charismatic Roger Sinha, the heart of the company. For the least we can say, the results are splendid! A special mention goes out to his assistants Helena and Juan David who made this experience flawless.
30th anniversary photo gallery
Hover your mouse over the picture to click through the complete gallery!
What the creators say about the collaboration
Working with Sinha Danse was a fruitful and inspiring experience. The kind that illustrates why I’m a photographer working with dance and culture.
I really enjoyed seeing Roger Sinha’s choreographic language up close, as well as the ingenuity of how the costume design elements heightened his concept. I was particularly taken with his didgeridoo mask from his new solo. As we photographed him in full costume, it elicited an immediate change of environment. The room was his and the set became a stage, everything a good performance should achieve.
I loved working with Emmanuelle, Citlali, Amelia and Olivia. A very eclectic group of dancers with a unique movement language. They all represented, for me, a different version of female strength. It was a joy to photograph all of them.
Another great point of creative exploration was the mix of traditional dance with contemporary and technological elements. I thought that it was a great way to give renewed relevance to ancestral dance languages.
I was incredibly moved by the trust the team had in my work. It allowed me to work with unbridled creativity and get powerful visuals.
I have a lot of admiration for the way Damian works and I find many similarities between his approach to art and mine.
Imagination is what creates the universe that I work with and I find Damian’s imagination very unique and singular. He does not want to simply reproduce the reality of someone else’s artistic work. He transforms it into an exceptional new vision, while also putting forward the singular identity of each artist and each piece.
Ultimately, what is very important for him, and myself creatively, is emotion carried forth in my choreographies. In the process of working together, I discovered that Damian also uses the artist’s emotions as raw material. He employs feelings rather than forms as access points to a deeper artistic expression, in as many ways as possible.
It happened so that in the year of my company’s 30th anniversary, we still live in a Covid-defined world. At the center of the collaboration with Damian is my newest creation, 2M, born out of my need to respond creatively to unprecedented events.
I find that Damian grasped not only the spirit of the work itself but also the singularity of the Sinha style. He was able to capture all my 30 years as a dancer, creator and choreographer altogether.
It was a real pleasure working with him and his team and hoping to have other such excellent future collaborations.
Behind the scenes video interview
To complete the full experience, here is the video interview filmed on the same day as the 30th anniversary photo shoot, directed by one of Damian’s awesome team members, Juan David Parilla.
We will be releasing videos and photos every month for our anniversary year. Subscribe to our newsletter below to get everything first! Thank you for reading and your continued support through the years, whether you have been here for 30 years or are just discovering us!
