ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | CHOREOGRAPHER

Born in El Paso, TX, and raised in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Valeria Y. Gonzalez is a dynamic and passionate dance artist, choreographer, educator, and producer. Valeria holds an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, focusing on Performance and Pedagogy. Her thesis, Regarding the Female Body, Sexuality, and Identity in Dance, continues to influence her work today. After completing her Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies at UTEP, she continues to add to, edit, and further her research. During her time at Tisch, she had the privilege of learning from esteemed professors and choreographers such as Phyllis Lamhut, Sean Curran, Pam Pietro, Bobbi Jene Smith, Rashaun Mitchell, Jeremy Nelson, Betsy Coker, Giada Matteini, and others. She also had the opportunity to perform in HELPLESS PEOPLE by MADBOOTS with the Second Avenue Dance Company.

Before Tisch, her pre-professional journey began in Guadalajara in 2007 under the tutelage of Ballet Master Héctor Hernández, father of Isaac Hernández, now principal at ABT, where she honed her classical skills before earning a scholarship to the pre-professional program at Ballet Divertimento in 2009 in Montreal. It was in Montreal that Valeria discovered her passion for Dance Theater after being exposed to Cas Public, Marie Chouinard, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and others— a discovery that would profoundly shape her artistic vision. While at Ballet Divertimento, Valeria performed new works by Gioconda Barbuto (Nederlands Dans Theater), Eric Miles (BJM Danse), David Pressault (Toronto Dance Theater), Rayco Cano Cortes (GöteborgsOperans Danskompani), and more. In 2011, she moved to New York City for the Movement Invention Project intensive, where she was introduced to Gaga, Floorwork, Partnering, Forsythe techniques, and more by choreographers and teachers such as Shamel Pitts, Shannon Gillen, Andrea Miller, Sidra Bell, Gabriel Forestieri, Alexandra Wells, and Jill Johnson. She later was accepted to study at The Ailey School's Independent Study Program. Valeria is a dedicated lifelong learner, having participated in more than 30 prestigious dance intensives worldwide, most recently the Atlas Biennial Festival in Guanajuato, Mexico, OBOC: Countertechnique, and GAGA.

In 2014, Valeria founded VALLETO, a female-identifying and non-binary contemporary experimental dance company based in New York. VALLETO is dedicated to challenging systems of oppression through thought-provoking contemporary dance theater works that explore universally relatable themes. VALLETO has also produced biennial intensives and The Heal Project, with eight intensives so far. Immediately after graduate school, Valeria was offered a teaching position at the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College, where she worked for two years. During that time, she enrolled in and completed a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies at UTEP. Last year, while living in Austin, TX, she was invited to be a guest choreographer at the University of Texas at Austin for the senior students, in addition to creating the first two parts of her Eternal Bonds trilogy and producing a summer intensive.

Before Tisch, Valeria earned a BFA in Communications and TV Production from the New York Institute of Technology, which led to a position as an Associate Producer at NBC New York, where she worked for four years. Fast forward to today: after five years of living nomadically through El Paso, Guadalajara, Miami, and Austin, Valeria is thrilled to return to her true home, New York City, to continue the legacy of VALLETO, launch her new project Unpredictable Bodies, and initiate her solo work.

"I worked closely with Valeria on her MFA thesis and she exhibited a real passion for feminist politics and bridging different disciplines and forms of research into her creative practice and choreographic vision. Through the soul-searching process she developed a clear voice as a Mexican American artist, speaking boldly to the female psyche and experience. She demonstrated a real ease with the working process of her pieces and produced a piece of enigmatic beauty and kinetic rigor. She has an innate feel for drama and risk. Her movements can be soft and vulnerable one moment and then explosive and ferocious the next moment. Her work contains a singular movement sensibility, a unique and timely point of view that needs to be heard. As a professional in the field, Valeria is a hard worker, and is able to juggle different aspect of her life as a dance artist in the city, while maintaining a peak level of physical and creative excellence." - Rashaun Mitchel (Cunningham Trustee, Guggenheim Fellow)

Creating dance is my way of connecting with a higher force, my way of feeling alive and present in a complex world. Dance protects me, invites reflection, and stays with me—in my body, my soul, and my mind—no matter what. My choreographic work embodies protest, love, femininity, sexuality, fantasies, explorations of identity, the intricacies of relationships, and the joy of feeling present with both the art and oneself. Music, film, my deepest desires, and the dancers I work with continuously inspire me. I grow alongside my dancers, learning from them as they learn from me.

I draw inspiration from my ancestors and the dance legends who paved the way for us. I am influenced by dreams, my parents' stories, and the painful feeling of being away from them. Astrological signs, symbols, "signals," film, words, people-watching, and observing both the outer and inner worlds also spark my creative process. Vivid memories of growing up in Juarez, Mexico, shape much of my work.

My choreography reflects my vulnerability, nostalgia, and the challenges of navigating diverse cultural landscapes as a woman with a strong accent. It also reflects the desires of the dancers. For me, dance is more than an art form—it is an act of liberation, a powerful medium through which I assert my sexuality and embrace unfiltered self-expression.

My creative process is driven by a commitment to act on what truly matters to me and to create inclusive spaces. I hope to amplify the voices of women and non-binary individuals. My work aspires to transcend my personal narrative, revealing shared experiences of oppression, resilience, and desire. As a survivor of intimate partner violence, dance has become my sanctuary—a vessel for healing and advocacy, where I connect with others who share similar histories.

Through dance, I seek a deeper understanding of myself and others, allowing each creation to uncover new layers of meaning as it is witnessed by an audience. My process and choreography bridge the intimate and the universal, celebrating human expression and advocating for mental health awareness.

In 2020, Valeria also founded VALLETO Heal, a holistic community platform for individuals from all walks of life. This platform offers embodied workshops, deep discussions, projects, and retreats led by Valeria and a diverse group of guest healers who share their knowledge and expertise in healing practices. VALLETO Heal holds various sessions and workshops focusing on healing practices such as movement, somatics, meditation, journaling, energy work, and more.

"Valeria’s curious and open minded. There is a quixotic and playful quality to her dancing that partners naturally with her focused and receptive nature in the studio. She is an inventive, hard working talent and is exactly the kind of artist that this medium needs to promote contemporary dance not only here in the US, but also in her native Mexico." - Shannon Gillen (VIM VIGOR)

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

As a Mexican American intersectional feminist educator and choreographer, my journey within the academic and artistic realms is deeply intertwined with my personal narrative. Guided by creating inclusive spaces, fostering self-expression, and celebrating autonomy, my teaching philosophy reflects my commitment to nurturing a safe, respectful, and accessible learning environment. In my dance studio, every individual is welcomed and valued. Drawing from my own experiences of feeling marginalized, I prioritize diversity, inclusion, vulnerability, open-mindedness, and respect. My goal is to ensure that each student feels a profound sense of belonging and empowerment. I emphasize the importance of presence, both physically and emotionally, encouraging my students to fully inhabit the moment. This approach not only enhances their artistic expression but also fosters a deep connection with themselves and their peers. By sharing my journey and embracing my identity as a female Mexican American educator, I aim to inspire resilience and confidence in my students, helping them to find and respect their unique voices. Inspired by my formative years, where I faced challenges due to cultural and language barriers, I am dedicated to making each student feel seen and heard. My teaching encourages students to honor their personal stories and the spaces we share, promoting an atmosphere of mutual respect and empathy. This environment nurtures the development of each dancer's unique voice, encouraging them to explore their creativity and personal narratives.

CLASSES/WORKSHOPS/CHOREOGRAPHIC PROCESS

VALLETO CHOREOGRAPHIC / CREATIVE PROCESS

Valeria’s choreographic process excavates deep emotional states and memories through movement research, shapes, geometry, voice, the outer and inner world, sound, curiosity and collaborative exploration. She safely invites her dancers to be vulnerable and allows them to unveil the many layers that our collective consciousness hides.
Valeria is interested in creating work that comes from the HEART and that is real to all the people involved. Her process allows the dancers to tap into themselves in every way, discovering the creature we all hold within, unmasking ourselves to find our true expression.  

"Valeria pushed me to places emotionally and physically that I normally shy away from, but in the most honest and safe way where I felt entirely supported by everyone in the studio. She created a safe space from day one, and set the tone of honesty to all of us having a deeper connection and conversation every day. Her movement practices feed on the energy of the room, riding the impulse of where to push us next. Nothing she did was predictable and I love that. Instead of feeling like her (or any of the teachers) were "at the front of the room" I felt like we were on a journey together, growing together, and sharing ideas."

Intensive Participant

“enough-more” MANIFESTO