Junadry Leocaria

Nominee Innovatieprijs Nederlandse Dansdagen Maastricht 2023

Jury about the nomination

''The jury greatly appreciated the layering of the plan. Besides the bond between father and daughter, the history of Curaçao and the changing of the body over time are also themes that are addressed in the performance. It is the choreographer's strength that she manages to connect her own authentic experiences with the universal complexity of the parent-child relationship. 

In awarding the Nederlandse Dansdagen Maastricht Innovation Prize to Junadry Leocaria, the jury chose a raw, pure creator, who like no other makes dance the focus of emotion. With her unique style, she is an authentic addition to the Dutch dance scene.''

About Junadry

Junadry Leocaria began her professional dance career at the age of 18 with ISH Dance Collective.  She then moved on to theatre dance company Don't Hit Mama, where she was introduced to the art of waacking, a style that plays with characters, emotions and expression. While developing her own expressive style, she also found a way to make her origins and heritage part of her stories. She brought this to the fore in projects such as the award-winning short film Imprenta and the solo pieces Ta(m)bu and Sugar Coated. Apart from being a choreographer, Junadry also works as a coach and teacher. 

A few years ago, Junadry started to delve into Curaçao's cultural heritage, her roots, the slavery past, connection, healing, ancient dance traditions and rituals. This led to a new layer in her work, where touching and healing the audience became the main goal of her art. Dance as liberation, for both the maker and the audience.  

Her new project 'Mi Pret'i Wowo' (the apple of my eye) is a partly autobiographical duet. A father and daughter who are estranged are brought back together by fate. The father is trapped in his body. His daughter does everything in her power to get him moving again and find the meaning of life again. As research for the project, the choreographer travels with her father - who was a professional dancer - to Nigeria, the country where part of her roots lie. Artist and curator Richard Kofi is making a documentary of this trip, capturing the experiences in image, sound and illustrations.