FOCARIS international

Foto: Oswaldo Gamboa

We had an extraordinary month in Colombia working with ConCuerpos Colombia and ConCuerpos Netherlands on the creation of FOCARIS — an international collaboration in inclusive contemporary dance that brought together artists from both countries.

During October 2025, we had a wonderful artistic exchange, collaboration, and creation; we experienced deep conversations, shared practices, and joyful discoveries. What emerged from this process is not only a new performance but also an international family  united by a shared creative vision.

FOCARIS is a powerful work about inner fire and collective strength, inspired by the Latin root focaris, meaning home and fire. This piece explores how our personal and shared flames connect us, transforming vulnerability into resilience through movement and presence.

What makes FOCARIS especially unique is its deep integration of accessibility into the artistic language itself. From the outset, creative audio description, Sign Language, and other sensory elements were woven into the choreography and dramaturgy not just as accommodations, but as expressive tools that expand how the work speaks and reaches people. This approach enables audiences of all abilities — including people who are deaf or blind — to experience the performance fully and autonomously.

With a diverse, international ensemble of dancers — with and without disabilities — and a dedicated multidisciplinary team, FOCARIS is a celebration of movement, connection, and accessibility as creative forces.