Christina Medina and Thomas Melde started their artistic collaboration in 2003 upon moving to Europe (Graz, Austria) from Canada. From the onset, the works were a tapestry of different cultural influences: Philippine/Asia, German/European and Canadian/North America. The underlying foundation of their work is rooted in their curiosity of the physical body and the capacity to articulate concepts and ideas through the language of movement. Through their collaboration, a distinctly unique voice evolved resulting in the creation of resonating and pertinent choreographies. @tendance/C.Medina was founded in December 2006 and quickly made an impact for contemporary dance in Graz.
Since its inception @tendance has created both solo and ensemble works that were received with critical acclaim. Over the years, a wide range of established and up-and-coming artists from multiple disciplines have collaborated with @tendance supporting the development and the diversity of the works. The inaugural show, Elements at the Dom im Berg in Graz was supported by a cast of fifteen international dancers and several established composers and visual artists. @tendance/C.Medina is constantly looking for different formats of presentation and in 2008 introduced the ensemble piece Aswang-choreolab. Each performance incorporated the suggestions of the audience from the previous night resulting in a different show each day. It promotes our belief that a choreographic work continues to develop and evolve. Incidentally, critics compared the choreography to the works of directors Gus van Zandt and Larry Clark. In 2009, we went one step further in this format creating “Show and Tell” (Excerpt from Backstage Pass), where the audience directly had an influence on the choreographic structure, lights and music. Also an outreach program was established that brought contemporary dance closer to younger children through workshops. In addition, Medina was instrumental in establishing tanzplatzgraz, an information platform specific to Graz dance activities. Such endeavors are important to build an enthusiastic audience for contemporary dance.
Since its inception @tendance has created both solo and ensemble works that were received with critical acclaim. Over the years, a wide range of established and up-and-coming artists from multiple disciplines have collaborated with @tendance supporting the development and the diversity of the works. The inaugural show, Elements at the Dom im Berg in Graz was supported by a cast of fifteen international dancers and several established composers and visual artists. @tendance/C.Medina is constantly looking for different formats of presentation and in 2008 introduced the ensemble piece Aswang-choreolab. Each performance incorporated the suggestions of the audience from the previous night resulting in a different show each day. It promotes our belief that a choreographic work continues to develop and evolve. Incidentally, critics compared the choreography to the works of directors Gus van Zandt and Larry Clark. In 2009, we went one step further in this format creating “Show and Tell” (Excerpt from Backstage Pass), where the audience directly had an influence on the choreographic structure, lights and music. Also an outreach program was established that brought contemporary dance closer to younger children through workshops. In addition, Medina was instrumental in establishing tanzplatzgraz, an information platform specific to Graz dance activities. Such endeavors are important to build an enthusiastic audience for contemporary dance.
Christina Medina
Christina Medina embodies this attractive mix from three continents and combines extra-ordinary stage presence with technical brilliance and choreographic sense of style. One bears witness to a performance in which every gesture has importance, every stride is a choreographic statement.
Christina Medina's unique choreographic voice is an intriguing blend of influences from three continents. The sensual and intricate movements in the choreographies are deeply rooted in her Philippine heritage. This is balanced by an embodiment of the vastness experienced in the Canadian Prairie landscapes with their endless horizons and extreme weather. The European influences add to this fusion by addressing speed, attitude and the intimacy of spatial relations.
Prior to developing @tendance, Medina was a company dancer with Ruth Cansfield Dance and Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers Company. She had the pleasure of performing the works of Serge Bennathan, Rosemary Butcher (UK), Catherine Guerin (US/Ger), Brent Lott and Tedd Senmon Robinson to name a few. Medina’s solo works have been invited to Vienna, Graz, Stuttgart, Kaunas (Lithuania), Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary. In March 2006, her solo am I am was awarded the 1st Prize in Choreography at the 10. Int. Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival 2006 in Stuttgart and toured Southern Germany in November 2006. Her solo A Line Drawn was selected as one of the best productions in Steiermark for the best OFF styria Festival in September 2008. And in January 2009 performed at the Choreographic Platform Austria (presenting the most important choreographies in Austria in the previous two years).
Medina’s teaching experience encompasses many levels. Teaching classes for professional dancers include Canada Dance Festival (representing Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers), Trip Dance, Ruth Cansfield Dance and Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers. As a guest faculty member of School of Contemporary Dancers Professional Program (affiliated with University of Winnipeg), Medina continues her association as a teacher and choreographer. Other endeavors included guest teacher at Anton Bruckner Universität, Liz King’s D.ID, University of Calgary Dance Program, Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Professional Division and the Int. Bühnenwerkstatt (Graz). Most recently Medina was resident festival teacher at the 4. Front@ Contemporary Arts Festival in Slovenia.
-Edith M. Wolf Perez, Tanz.at
Christina Medina's unique choreographic voice is an intriguing blend of influences from three continents. The sensual and intricate movements in the choreographies are deeply rooted in her Philippine heritage. This is balanced by an embodiment of the vastness experienced in the Canadian Prairie landscapes with their endless horizons and extreme weather. The European influences add to this fusion by addressing speed, attitude and the intimacy of spatial relations.
Prior to developing @tendance, Medina was a company dancer with Ruth Cansfield Dance and Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers Company. She had the pleasure of performing the works of Serge Bennathan, Rosemary Butcher (UK), Catherine Guerin (US/Ger), Brent Lott and Tedd Senmon Robinson to name a few. Medina’s solo works have been invited to Vienna, Graz, Stuttgart, Kaunas (Lithuania), Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Calgary. In March 2006, her solo am I am was awarded the 1st Prize in Choreography at the 10. Int. Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival 2006 in Stuttgart and toured Southern Germany in November 2006. Her solo A Line Drawn was selected as one of the best productions in Steiermark for the best OFF styria Festival in September 2008. And in January 2009 performed at the Choreographic Platform Austria (presenting the most important choreographies in Austria in the previous two years).
Medina’s teaching experience encompasses many levels. Teaching classes for professional dancers include Canada Dance Festival (representing Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers), Trip Dance, Ruth Cansfield Dance and Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers. As a guest faculty member of School of Contemporary Dancers Professional Program (affiliated with University of Winnipeg), Medina continues her association as a teacher and choreographer. Other endeavors included guest teacher at Anton Bruckner Universität, Liz King’s D.ID, University of Calgary Dance Program, Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Professional Division and the Int. Bühnenwerkstatt (Graz). Most recently Medina was resident festival teacher at the 4. Front@ Contemporary Arts Festival in Slovenia.
Thomas Melde, Ph.D.
The level of abstraction, however, is so high that (am I am) does not only allow multiple interpretations but rather evokes them.
As co-founder of @tendance/C.Medina, Thomas Melde is involved not only in administration but also artistically. His contribution to concept and dramaturgy is strongly influenced by his background as a theoretical nuclear few-body physicist. His experience in texturing complex systems is applied to the thematic background and provides an important layer for the underlying structure of the work.
- Harald Raab, Mittelbayerische Zeitung
As co-founder of @tendance/C.Medina, Thomas Melde is involved not only in administration but also artistically. His contribution to concept and dramaturgy is strongly influenced by his background as a theoretical nuclear few-body physicist. His experience in texturing complex systems is applied to the thematic background and provides an important layer for the underlying structure of the work.