CARI CARIDAD This choreography was created when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began. I was profoundly moved because many of my students and those dear to me hailed from both nations. This song has always resonated with me due to its references to Vietnam and its conflict, as well as the fact that I have a very close friend from that country. Whenever I think about the song's melodies and intensity, I get goosebumps. When I initially chose the song, I intended to do something completely different, but I don’t know what energy compelled me to speak with a cleaning lady in Hamburg. She asked me if I was Cuban because I was listening to this song. She then kindly began to explain how Caridad, a figure in the Catholic religion, was syncretized with Oshun, an Orisha of the Yoruba religion, and how our personalities and the jewelry we wore were quite similar. Later, I met with a Babalawo, a Santeria priest, who told me that my grandmother was actually the lost daughter of Oshun and that she desired for me to always be flawless and adorned with jewelry. This choreography, to me, is an expression of many emotions stemming from the histories mentioned above, shaped into movements that connect you with the deepest parts of yourself, allowing you to share that connection with the outside world.