Carne Viva’s Collaborative Festival Debuts at Sandrell Rivers Theatre

Carne Viva Dance Theatre’s VIDA Festival brings together dancers, musicians and multidisciplinary artists for workshops, choreographic labs and performances at the Sandrell Rivers Theater.(Photo by Sergio Escorcia, courtesy of CVDT)

Carne Viva Dance Theatre founders Chachi Perez and David Velazco wanted to create more than another performance. They envisioned a space where dancers, musicians and multidisciplinary artists could learn from one another, experiment and build lasting creative relationships.

That idea became VIDA Festival, a four-day event, beginning Thursday, Aug. 6 and running through Sunday, Aug. 9 at Sandrell Rivers Theater featuring workshops, choreographic labs and performances, all culminating in a finale performance.

Directors Chachi Perez and David Velazco. (Photo by Benny Valencia, courtesy of CVDT)

“David and I always make time to discuss things,” Perez said. “As two multidisciplinary artists, we knew presenting a cross-disciplinary event would be beautiful for people in Miami and align with our goal to build community.”

The idea for the festival began taking shape in 2024 over lunch in Hialeah after the pair had been shopping for props for their show “Dame La Receta (Give me the Recipe)” a show the duo developed that’s laced with humor but also seriousness about the rituals of passing on culinary (and other) practices among families. Around the same time, Carne Viva received a MAP Fund grant supporting artists creating new experimental work.

Their journey to this point was years in the making, starting with education and mentorship from Michelle Grant-Murray, coordinator of dance at Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus who provided the building blocks and support for Perez and Velazco, according to the duo.

Carne Viva Dance Theatre and Miami Dade College’s Jubilation Dance Ensemble. (Photo by MDC Photography Department)

“I’ve known Chachi and David for a long time, they were constantly in the studio creating something and it’s what they’re doing to this day.”

As the concept developed, Perez and Velazco looked to the relationships they had built while performing and attending festivals around the country, including festivals in New York and North Carolina. While attending the 2025 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, where Perez was living at the time, the pair began seriously discussing the idea of creating a festival in Miami. Talking with artists they met there reinforced their belief that South Florida needed something similarly collaborative.

“We kept meeting people who encouraged us to stay in that world,” Velazco said. “At the same time, we were meeting a lot of artists and creatives in Miami who needed that space here at home, so we wanted to create a platform for them.”

The project began to take shape after Carne Viva was accepted into the Cultural Arts Partnership residency at Sandrell Rivers Theater, giving the company a venue and production support to develop the inaugural festival.

“Their application was amazing,” said Rommel Arellan-Marinas, associate artistic director at Sandrell Rivers Theater. “We felt it aligned perfectly with the community we want to create at the theater.”

Carne Vida Dance Theatre premiere of “Dame La Receta.” (Photo by Sergio Escorcia, courtesy of CVDT)

Velazco and Perez invited their friends and partners in the arts world to teach the classes and workshops.

Over four days, participants can take workshops in Afro-Cuban dance, reggaeton, movement, music and choreography led by local artists and guest instructors. Choreographic labs will give artists an opportunity to develop new work before the festival concludes with “Noche de VIDA,” featuring works created during the labs and a community Cuban rumba jam session.

The lineup features local performers and instructors, including Carne Viva company members Fernanda Romero and Nicole Machado, who will lead reggaeton and introductory Cuban dance classes. Adriel Martinez and Malena Mieri of Bombe Dance Academy will offer an Afro-Cuban dance workshop, while singer and dancer Gaiya will lead a meditative movement class. Cuban singer Daymé Arocena, for whom Velazco serves as co-band director and drummer, will present a dance, movement and vocal workshop. Irvin and Fonzy of Primera Generación will lead a class and participate in the choreographic labs.

Chachi Pérez, co founder of Carne Viva Dance Theatre participates in “Pachanga e Poder,” a Latinx, Latin American, and Caribbean social dance incubator hosted by Ohio State’s Department of Dance in March 2025. (Photo by Kym McDaniel)

After the three days of workshops and labs, the four-day festival culminates with Noche de Vida where they will present works in progress during the Choreo Labs and finish the night with a full-on jam session of Cuban rumba with the Cuban group Clave y Cuba.

Creating and fostering an intergenerational/intercultural atmosphere over the next few years is the goal, said Perez.

“That is our mission and my hope and dream is to have people build meaningful relationships. I would love for that to flourish throughout the festival and for our guest artists to have our participants eventually work with them,” said Perez.

WHAT: VIDA Festival, presented by Carne Viva Dance Theatre, featuring workshops, choreographic labs and the closing performance, “Noche de VIDA.”

WHEN: Workshops and Choreo Labs, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 6-8; “Noche de VIDA,” 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 9.

WHERE: Sandrell Rivers Theater, 6103 NW 7 Ave., Miami

COST: Single class $29.50; daily pass $73.50; student/industry four-day festival pass $167; general admission four-day festival pass $249.50. Final event open to public on Sunday, $18.75.

INFORMATION:  carnevivadancetheatre.com

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