{"id":121277,"date":"2026-01-29T10:42:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=121277"},"modified":"2026-01-29T10:42:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T15:42:21","slug":"interview-native-earth-performing-arts-niimiiwe-dance-double-bill-composer-sound-designer-edgar-moreno-talks-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/01\/29\/interview-native-earth-performing-arts-niimiiwe-dance-double-bill-composer-sound-designer-edgar-moreno-talks-process\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Native Earth Performing Arts\u2019 Niimi\u2019iwe Dance Double Bill: Composer\/Sound Designer Edgar Moreno Talks About The Process"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_121279\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121279\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-01-29T103803.240.jpg\" alt=\"Composer and sound designer Edgardo Moreno (Photo courtesy of the artist)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-01-29T103803.240.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-01-29T103803.240-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-01-29T103803.240-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-01-29T103803.240-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121279\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Composer and sound designer Edgardo Moreno (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Native Earth Performing Arts presents Niimi\u2019iwe Dance Double Bill from February 5 to 8 at Toronto\u2019s Aki Studio. The Double Bill features Conversations: Hidden Stories by Vanguardia Dance Projects &amp; Aanmitaagzi, and Spine of the Mother by Raven Spirit Dance.<\/p>\n<p>Both dance works explore various facets of Indigenous identity, and the performances will be followed by talkbacks with the artists after each show.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are honoured to present this double bill of works exploring connections to land, body, and space within the North and the South; story weaving ancestral memories through a contemporary Indigenous lens,\u201d said Joelle Peters, Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAllow these works to transport you through time and place, and witness the power of these incredible artists as they share the Aki Studio stage.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Conversations: Hidden Stories by Vanguardia Dance Projects &amp; Aanmitaagzi<\/h3>\n<p>Director and choreographer: Olga Barrios<br \/>\nCreators: Norma Araiza, Penny Couchie, Animikiikwe Couchie, Lilia Le\u00f3n, Olga Barrios<br \/>\nDancers: Norma Araiza, Lilia Le\u00f3n, Olga Barrios<br \/>\nGuest Dancers: Lucia Llano, Maria Ria\u00f1o<\/p>\n<p>Conversations: Hidden Stories delves into the concept of body and territory as conceived by Colombian-Canadian choreographer Olga Barrios. Barrios, and other women of many colours, look for connections with ideas that have been essentially erased from history. Conversations is a journey that examines stories of displacement and erasure through soil, fabric land, and water. What separates Indigenous women from themselves, and from each other? The right to ancestry and its connections through history into the future is a sovereign right.<\/p>\n<h3>Spine of the Mother by Raven Spirit Dance<\/h3>\n<p>Choreography by Starr Muranko<br \/>\nPerformed by Tasha-Faye Evans and Marisa Gold<\/p>\n<p>The bodies of women have an interior as well as an exterior aspect. Breath, impulse and memory are used to create energy and movement, a ritual that ranges along the spine of the mountain range known as the Andes. Indigenous Elders in South America have called the mountain range, which finds its base in Argentina, and stretches through the Americas to end at the tip of Alaska, the Spine of Mother Earth. The dance work by the same name uses the body as a landscape which, like the mountain range, connects North and South.<\/p>\n<p>Spine of the Mother began as a collaboration between Indigenous artists in Canada and Peru about a decade ago. Since its inception, it\u2019s been performed across Canada and most recently internationally at the Kia Mau Festival in Wellington, New Zealand as part of Raven Spirit Dance\u2019s 20th Anniversary tour.<\/p>\n<p>Edgardo Moreno is the composer and sound designer for both pieces of the Niimi\u2019iwe Dance Double Bill, and LV caught up with him to talk about his work.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Zm_vyRO0v6M?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Composing for Dance: Edgardo Moreno<\/h2>\n<p>Composer and sound designer Edgardo Moreno\u2019s background includes Western classical music, along with Latin American and electro-acoustic music. His work blends music and soundscapes. He\u2019s created scores and audio experiences for a variety of media, including films and interactive installations, as well as contemporary dance.<\/p>\n<p>Composing music for dance is always dependant on the choreographer and their own working methods.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery choreographer works very differently,\u201d Moreno explains. Some don\u2019t want to think about music until the choreography is essentially finished. That often happens in more abstract modern dance works. Others prefer to have the music develop alongside the dance work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have meetings about the themes. I try to get sort of a script of the arc of the piece.\u201d Often, that includes delineating the various sections of the dance piece.<\/p>\n<p>For Moreno, who creates soundscapes as well as music, it means a lot of listening.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI work in electroacoustic music,\u201d he says. During the initial discussions related to a dance project, he\u2019s listening for any and all cues that relate to sound. For example, the choreographer may mention that they first came up with the idea for a project in a specific location, like a forest or in the city. Those spaces already begin to suggest sound worlds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think about sound worlds before I create the music,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe music is to elevate the sections that need emotional subtext.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The music may come and go throughout the performance, and take on varying degrees of significance and prominence. \u201cI prefer to work with a lot of sound designs.\u201d Rhythms are one of the key elements when it comes to defining the process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat is the sonic world that you want to be in?\u201d he asks the choreographers.<\/p>\n<p>If a work revolves around the experience of being a mother, for example, he wonders what it sounds like to be at home with your children. There may be a clock ticking on the wall, a dog barking from a neighbour\u2019s yard, and so on. Let\u2019s say that the figure of the mother in the piece becomes exhausted, or agitated. The clock will be amplified, perhaps there are now multiple clocks ticking, and the barking dog becomes more insistent. \u201cThat\u2019s how I like to create tension,\u201d he explains. The soundscape supports and helps to create the atmosphere of the piece.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost people will have a story,\u201d he says. That\u2019s where the dance piece begins \u2014 with a story. Some dance makers are very organized in their approach, and can tell him where the various sections begin and end. \u201cThat\u2019s always helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His job initially is to gather information. \u201cI listen very carefully to what people say,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou ask choreographers, what kind of music do you listen to?\u201d Moreno will ask for musical references to get an idea of what they\u2019re looking for. \u201cI try to figure out, what is it about that particular music?\u201d He listens to hopefully identify what works and what doesn\u2019t for the project.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always ask about tempo.\u201d Dance makers will give him a tempo in beats per minute. Is it a brisk walking pace? Or something much slower? It\u2019s all about trying to translate their needs in terms of movement into musical terms.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese things are important, because a lot of non-musicians don\u2019t think in those terms,\u201d he says. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s very hard, because we don\u2019t share a common vocabulary.\u201d Choreographers may or may not be conversant when it comes to music. \u201cI have to kind of figure it out. Sometimes it\u2019s hard if they\u2019re not clear about ideas.\u201d Movement, as he notes, can be very abstract in nature, with the emotional underpinnings unclear.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121281\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121281\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-95-1.jpg\" alt=\"Conversations: Hidden Stories by Vanguardia Dance Projects &amp; Aanmitaagzi (Photo: Colin Boyd Shafer)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-95-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-95-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-95-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-95-1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121281\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Conversations: Hidden Stories by Vanguardia Dance Projects &amp; Aanmitaagzi (Photo: Colin Boyd Shafer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Electro-Acoustic Soundscapes<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI tune into subtleties,\u201d he says. When he\u2019s established a place or space that relates to the dance work, he begins to collect the sounds. \u201cI\u2019ll go out and record these things,\u201d he says. As a result, he\u2019s collected a library of recordings that he uses in his work, including natural sounds as well as street sounds \u2014 even subway sounds. \u201cSometimes that sound can transform.\u201d It begins as something recognizable, then he uses electronics to transform it. He may also add a piano or guitar.<\/p>\n<p>Through experience, he\u2019s learned to ask some very specific questions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just realize I need to ask choreographers \u2014 what instruments do you really hate?\u201d For one project, he relates, he incorporated a gorgeous flute line, only to find that the dance maker hated flutes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s hard to get into all of those things,\u201d he acknowledges. He\u2019ll ask what kinds of sounds they prefer, i.e. gritty or sweet?<\/p>\n<p>Working with dance has its challenges. \u201cIt\u2019s fun, it\u2019s challenging,\u201d Moreno says. Most of the time, he\u2019s referred to artists who are already at least somewhat familiar with his work. \u201cWhen people come to me, I think they\u2019ve already seen my work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The stress generally lessens once he\u2019s gotten a first draft together, and it\u2019s received a thumb\u2019s up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI usually get a lot of video,\u201d he says. The choreographers will send videos of the rehearsals. \u201cSometimes on a daily basis.\u201d When he\u2019s composing to the video, he likens the process to working on a movie score.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou don\u2019t want the music to be too distracting,\u201d he explains. It should carry the emotions of the dance without overwhelming it.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_121280\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-121280\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-121280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-96-1.jpg\" alt=\"Spine of the Mother by Raven Spirit Dance (Photo courtesy of Raven Spirit Dance)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-96-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-96-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-96-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/unnamed-96-1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-121280\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spine of the Mother by Raven Spirit Dance (Photo courtesy of Raven Spirit Dance)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Niimi\u2019iwe Dance Double Bill<\/h3>\n<p>Along with other clues, Edgardo tunes into the emotional aspect of the dance work. Are the dancers overwrought, or angry? Does a specific section carry more power that the rest?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the pieces that I\u2019m working on for this show, there\u2019s a section called women as animals,\u201d he says. In it, the dancers yell and shout. He adds a strong rhythm to add to the effect.<\/p>\n<p>The Spine of the Mother has been touring for years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpine of Mother is a 14 year old piece,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s really nice to be able to work within the Indigenous community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Edgardo has worked with choreographer Starr Muranko for many years. \u201cThe same with Olga Barrios. We\u2019ve worked with each other and collaborated on many projects,\u201d he says. \u201cI actually introduced these two women.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The double bill of both works began to take on a life of its own, united by themes that revolve around Indigenous heritage and ancestry.<\/p>\n<p>The Spine of Mother has a personal connection for Moreno, who grew up in Chile. \u201cI would look at the Andes mountains every day in Santiago,\u201d he says. \u201cI spoke to Starr about this. It was such a presence in our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find show details and tickets for the Native Earth Performing Arts presentation of Niimi\u2019iwe Dance Double Bill \u2014 Conversations: Hidden Stories by Vanguardia Dance Projects &amp; Aanmitaagzi, and Spine of the Mother by Raven Spirit Dance [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nativeearth.ca\/shows\/all-shows\/niimiiwe-dance-double-bill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<li>For Indigenous Group rates, email <strong><a href=\"mailto:boxoffice@nativeearth.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">boxoffice@nativeearth.ca<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a;\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? Need to know the best\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>events<\/u><\/a>\u00a0happening this weekend? Send us a\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Native Earth Performing Arts presents Niimi\u2019iwe Dance Double Bill from February 5 to 8 at Toronto\u2019s Aki Studio, with music composed by Edgardo Moreno.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":121279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,41556,18,20,29,4557,42517,63],"tags":[42619,40384,42618,42620],"yst_prominent_words":[22085],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-01-29T103803.240.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-vy5","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121277"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121277"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121277\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":121282,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121277\/revisions\/121282"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121277"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=121277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}