For Nearly Three Decades, Miami Light Project ‘Here and Now’ Keeps Spotlight on Miami Creatives

Nicole Pedraza and Diego León Lang will present original short-form works as part of Miami Light Project’s “Here and Now” at Miami Theater Center, Miami Shores. (Photo by Kevin Alvarez Cordova, courtesy of Miami Light Project)

When Beth Boone became artistic and executive director of Miami Light Project in 1998, she wanted to reimagine a collaborative project that had had been started years earlier entitled “Here and Now.” She wanted to move it forward and create a program that would commission new work and offer ways to nurture emerging artists with a supportive space to create and thrive. “And I thought the name just fit, so I kept ‘Here and Now.’ ”

Now a signature initiative of Miami Light Project, the latest iteration of “Here and Now” features original short-form works by commissioned local artists Clinton T. Harris, Diego Melgar, Nicole Pedraza, Diago León Lang, and Nina Osoria Ahmadi.

The microphone amplifies Nicole Pedraza’s emotions as she rehearses for her piece, “Palitroque.” (Photo by Kevin Alvarez Cordova, courtesy of Miami Light Project)

Miami Light Project’s “Here and Now” is 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26 to Saturday, Feb. 28 at Miami Theater Center, Miami Shores.

“I knew that I wanted to invest in Miami-based artists the way that nationally recognized artists get invested in their home communities,” says Boone. Over the program’s nearly three decades, she has witnessed the evolution of Miami’s art community. “Over the years and through this program, I feel like I’ve had the benefit and the pleasure of observing the growth of the artist scene in Miami.”

She believes that “Here and Now” has “played a very big part” in the progression “because you give people time, space, some resources, some connections, and some knowledge, and they do remarkable things.”

The staff of Miami Light Project, from left, Eventz Paul, Beth Boone, Terrence Brunn,
and Regina Moore. (Photo by Kevin Alvarez Cordova, courtesy of Miami Light Project)

The program gives artists, selected through a curated commissioning process, space to develop their work and connects them with mentors in the field. Often, the cohorts build strong relationships with one another, too. In this year’s group, many of the artists are collaborating across projects and contributing to each other’s pieces in addition to developing their own 20-minute works.

“I really feel like there’s this whole new generation of Miami artists that are coming of age together,” says Boone. “From going to school together to growing up in similar neighborhoods, they’re deeply connected and very collaborative.”

Visual artist Diago León Lang maps out what he wants the stage to look like for
“Palitroque.” (Photo by Kevin Alvarez Cordova, courtesy of Miami Light Project)

One such example of this collaboration is the work of choreographer and dancer Nicole Pedraza and musician Diego Melgar. Pedraza is choreographing her own piece and also dancing in Melgar’s ballet; Melgar is co-composing the score for Pedraza’s dance.

“We’re like a little circus troupe of friends all backing each other up and helping each other out on multiple projects,” says Melgar. “I couldn’t ask for a more amazing group of friends.”

Melgar, a musician by trade, composed a 20-minute ballet titled “Swamp Lily,” starring Pedraza as a young swamp creature. As she explores the world around her, the creature encounters two opposing city spirits, portrayed by Melgar and 2025 “Here and Now “ cohort member Junior Domingos.

Dancers Nicole Pedraza and Junior Domingos rehearse for their roles in “Swamp Lily.” (Photo by Dani Amaro, courtesy of Miami Light Project)

“It’s a sort of abstract meditation on life in Miami,” explains Melgar. “There are so many weird tensions you find living here; one moment Miami feels futuristic and the next day downtown is flooded and we’re dealing with these archaic problems.”

The Miami native found his inspiration for “Swamp Lily” from a recent project he premiered at the Miami Beach Bandshell last year. The young artist wants all of his works to bleed into each other, almost like chapters in one larger storybook. “I want my body of work to feel a little bit like it’s all in a shared universe . . .  This piece for ‘Here and Now’ is just one story within this bigger universe that includes concert performances, theater pieces, albums, music videos, and all future pieces.”

For her piece, “Palitroque,” Pedraza worked with longtime partner and visual artist Diago León Lang. “Even though we always inform each other’s work, for this piece specifically, I wanted to apply with both of our names since a lot of the initial idea was his and he’s had such a big say in the development,” says Pedraza.

León Lang helped design the set and worked on projections that will be part of the performance. Pedraza will be one of the four dancers on stage and choreographed the 20-minute work.

Choreographer and dancer Nicole Pedraza and her artistic partner, Diego León Lang, two of the “Here and Now” artists. (Photo by Trish Gutierrez courtesy of Miami Light Project)

“Palitroque” tells a story of memory and nostalgia through the lens of the immigrant experience — particularly an immigrant’s penchant for hoarding objects. Pedraza’s family is from Nicaragua; Lang’s family is from Cuba.

The set will be filled with props and objects that are being contributed by Pedraza and her fellow dancers. It’ll give the appearance of an old, overflowing garage. “In the performance,” explains Pedraza, “we’re basically going through all of these boxes and we’ll have visceral reactions to some of the items . . . the choreography is meant to emote memories in a physical and exaggerative way.”

Pedraza admits that even though she’s been dancing for years, “Palitroque” is her most nuanced work. Thanks to her participation in “Here and Now,” she says she can solely focus on being a creative. “I’m used to producing my own performances and being in charge of everything, from getting the venue to everything technical. It’s nice to just focus on being an artist.”

WHAT: Miami Light Project Presents “Here and Now”

 WHERE: Miami Theater Center, 9806 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Shores.

 WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28

 COST: $33.37, general admission, $22.92, seniors and students

 INFORMATION: (305) 576-4350 or miamilightproject.com 

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