Through the folk dance group ´No Limits for Life and Peace´, youth and adults from the city of Neiva show the world that limits are established by each person.
DIARY OF HUILA, NEIVA
By: Angelica Tatiana Andrade Quimbaya
Since 2010, the folk dance group that was founded in the city of Neiva with the aim of showing their talent and the desire to show the world that the barriers are mental, has been participating in different inclusion events at a national and international level. , scenarios in which twelve couples in wheelchairs permeate the imaginaries and hearts of their public with a clear message regarding the relevance and importance of not only generating suitable and dignified conditions for all populations, but also working hard in the individual and collective purposes in order to overcome the obstacles that may arise.
This is how a group of friends with physical disabilities decided to organize themselves to form the dance group ‘Without Limits for Life and Peace’ in which four women and eight men in wheelchairs currently participate, according to its director Javier Flórez: “We saw the maestro Miguel Ángel who was rehearsing in a room where we also met, we were curious and we raised the idea of whether he could teach us to dance the sanjuanero, plunging it as a challenge that today works with new dances in all types of dances. , this was the product of curiosity to see the teacher dancing with the adults and we told him that we also wanted to express ourselves through dance”.
After the challenge assumed by the renowned dancer Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Cerón, who agreed to be part of the group as a choreographer, in ´Sin Límites´ he began with the interpretations of San Juan and El Barcino, presentations that were successful and made the planning continue. of other dances and the members of the families of the talented members will be linked.
“We have young people and adults, the group has grown because they attend with their wife or husband and their children, who support us to complete the couples and, as a result, something important and beautiful that happens to us is fraternity, we are a a very familiar group, very united and that makes us have the plus to achieve the challenges that we set ourselves”, said Rodríguez Cerón.
Trajectory
In the more than ten years of existence, in order to consolidate and continue with the formative and integrative process, the dance group confirmed that, through cooperation activities such as bazaars, they have managed to raise what is required to guarantee their financing and maintenance, in addition to the management in the public calls to which they are presented, since they are a non-profit team: “The resources are their own, the support we have received at the institutional level has been through the departmental culture secretariat for the presentation of proposals”, he clarified Rodriguez.
In the same way, Rodríguez explained that they perform folk dance, since the purpose is also to become institutionalized in order to represent Colombia in inclusion events at the international level: “We are part of an organization called ‘Red Sin Límites, Dancing for the Mundo’, where they have welcomed us, even when we were in Mexico, they made us the proposal to do another tour of India and we are in the process of continuing to carry the message”, said Rodríguez Cerón.
In turn, the artistic group reiterated that barriers as such do not exist and that each person is the one in charge of putting them up, being the economic issue the one that, on occasions, limits the functioning of actions, processes and strategies: “The barriers They are only economic because if we do not have money, we cannot function or transport ourselves and I think that the barrier is in this sense and not intellectual or dance”, indicated Rodríguez.
Regarding the requirements to be part of the group, the choreographer narrated that some ladies have come up with the idea of observing because, apparently, they don’t like dance and after seeing the performances, rehearsals, talent, effort and charisma of the members, decides that they do not want to go out because the taste is favorable to them.
“Some ladies come just to look and then say ‘I was fascinated, I want to continue, what should I do’, they do not pay any monthly fee because this is only non-profit, but the idea is that whoever wants to participate has a commitment to the group, that you want and that you like, since we have some conditions and that is, those who are there must like and like it because it is pleasure, mental health, physical health and everything that the emotional part does for the human being as such. We have people from all communes and at this moment we are making every effort to present ourselves in all the events that are held at the municipal and departmental level, events related to San Pedro in order to make ourselves visible and thus take us into account in the management of resources. to be able to fulfill the exits”, added Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Cerón.
The bet
Meeting challenges and breaking all the barriers that may arise, is part of the challenges in which the group works continuously, this is how, currently, the members manage their participation in two important international events, to be held in Spain and Mexico .
“Our projection is to continue demonstrating inclusion in dance, for this, we participate in spaces where doors open for us, for example, in educational institutions, in municipal and departmental competitions, in addition to continuing to seek the opportunity to bring our talent and show the world that there are no barriers, we only have barriers in our minds and we can cross them”, commented the director of ´Sin Límites para la Vida y la Paz´, Javier Flórez.
On the other hand, the members remember with gratitude and affection the opportunity they had in 2022 to present their traditional dance in Puebla, Mexico, an inclusion event that has opened the doors to take their message and talent to other international stages.
“We received an invitation from Spain because they want us to carry out this work that we have been doing, we are collecting funds to be able to carry out this trip and the idea is to continue our process to be recognized worldwide and thus open the doors to inclusion . Thanks to the presentation we did last year in Puebla, Mexico, other doors have been opened for us and there are countries that have recognized us. We also received an invitation to present ourselves this year in Chihuahua, Mexico. In general, we are very happy because we can teach all about inclusion and disability”, Flórez.
The meaning
“I am Javier Flórez, director and dancer of the dance group ‘Sin Límite para la Vida y la Paz’, since 2010, thanks to the teacher and choreographer Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Cerón, who has been fundamental and has instilled in us a love for dance, we have been fortunate to be able to show our inclusive dance at the municipal, departmental and international level, since through a cultural exchange we cross borders to show the world our talent. Belonging to the dance group for me is a fundamental tool that has led me to discover new skills and, through my movement, I feel peace, tranquility and freedom, giving my all to offer a great show and the most gratifying thing is to perceive the acceptance from the public through applause.
“I am Sandra Narváez, I am going to celebrate a year and a half of being in dance and this means something very good because it allows us to interact with many people, do many things and this makes me feel good. The message that she left the community is that even though we have a disability, we have the will and the potential to move forward, to be happy and that one should do what one likes and move on”.
“My name is Mauricio Tovar, the group of dances Without Limit for Life and Peace is an opportunity for us to re-integrate with society, to show our culture and everything that has to do with Huila folklore, that’s why we We call it Limitless, because there are no limits, everyone, boys, girls, young people and adults can enjoy these festivities. I have been in a wheelchair for about 30 years, I have been part of the group for approximately 10 years and we have always been in San Pedro after San Pedro participating and with the help of the teacher we have achieved choreographies, for now the challenge is to carry an awareness message telling everyone The people who are people like everyone else and that the only thing is that we have a physical diffusion, people have to understand that we are part of the Huila culture”.
