Wintercroft in The City of Ignoble Women

Here, we see master choreographer and artistic director Amelia Poveda taking in inspiration from the beautiful surroundings of Ecuador 

In the foothills of the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, amidst active volcanoes posing as snow-capped mountains, the vibrant city of Quito sets the stage. Under the direction of Rosa Amelia Poveda, Laboratorio Coreográfico brings to life an immersive experience that is equal parts theatre, performance-art and sociopolitical action.

In the quilted stone streets of Quito, the women and children become part of the performance action

"The City of Ignoble Women" is a performance that takes place in public settings, which become experimental sets for the art actions. Though elements are fine-tuned and expertly choreographed, the experience is unique for both the audience and the performers in each setting and public participation is encouraged throughout the streets and beautiful colonial buildings of Quito.

Women unite in movement and purpose with intensity that burns beyond the beauty of the movement, challenging gender violence and oppression without words

This cast unites women from the central districts of Quito with regional world-renown dancers and actresses, to form a collective "Women Front". "The City of Ignoble Women," as a performance, specifically addresses the issue of gender violence and more generally, repression in all forms. Quito is the perfect metaphorical host to such action with is beguiling, ornate colonial architecture framing the scenes. Though stunningly beautiful and of course now part of the historical landscape, these European style, 16th century buildings reverberate the flamboyant conquest of the usurping Conquistadors.

Framed by the beautiful carved wooden door, performer Carmen Bajo chisels her own presence in Quito with elegant, powerful form

 "The City of Ignoble Women" premiered at the Capitol Theatre in Quito and opened the Encuentro de Mujeres en Escena of the Mandrágora Foundation in 2017. It also opened the Festival Quito Tiene Teatro in 2018. It has achieved positive critical acclaim from the local media for being a fully independent, all-inclusive production. The participation of women and children of different neighbourhoods of Quito made it a fully progressive, successful artistic achievement on all levels. We are proud to have our Doberman Mask as part of this important work.

We thank all of the artists, photographers, dancers and performers for making such a singular, important artistic statement with our masks. We urge you to explore the profiles linked below. There were many more of course, but these were the ones we could find through our correspondences.

La ciudad de las mujeres innobles

Teatro Bolívar Foundation
Direction: Amelia Poveda
Pictures: Gonzalo Guaña
Performers: 
Amelia Poveda
Tani Revelo
Estefania Silva
Nadinka Flores @la.coneja.salvaje

We have just received word from Amelia (our correspondent and master choreographer of this performance) that the Municipality of Quito has officially praised "The City of Ignoble Women" which is fantastic news after the years of work put into this artistic performance.