Sol Picó

Sol Picó Monllor (born 1967) is a Spanish dancer and choreographer. She has studied Spanish dance, ballet, and contemporary dance, and combines different techniques and languages in her productions in a groundbreaking way. In 1993 she created the Sol Picó Company, with which she has become one of the most heterodox choreographers and dancers of the Spanish contemporary scene. She has received numerous awards, including 10 Premios Max, the National Dance Award of Catalonia (2004), the City of Barcelona Dance Award (2015) and the National Dance Award of Spain (2016).

Sol Picó
At Sismògraf 2017
Born	Sol Picó Monllor 1967 (age 52–53) Alcoy, Spain
Occupation	Dancer, choreographer
Awards	Premios Max (10) National Dance Award (2016)

Biography

Sol Picó graduated in Spanish and Classical Dance at the Oscar Esplà Conservatory in Alicante in 1985. She completed her training at La Fábrica Espai de Dansa in Barcelona (1986–1988), La Ménagerie de Verre in Paris (1988–1989), and Movement Research in New York (1997).[1] During her trip to Paris she studied under directors such as Cesc Gelabert, Susanne Linke, and Sara Sughiara.[2]

Professional career

She took her first steps as a professional with the Alcoy theater company La Cassola,[3] and created her first company, Danza Robadura, in 1988.[4] From 1990 to 2003, during the first years of her professional career, she worked as a performer and choreographer with companies and creators such as Rayo Malayo Danza, Los Rinos, and La Fura dels Baus. In 1993, she created the Sol Picó Company in Barcelona, which allowed her to develop her personal stamp and establish herself in the city.

From 2002 to 2004, the Sol Picó Company was a resident dance company at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya.

Trained in classical dance and performing in alternative theater,[5] she has become one of the most heterodox choreographers and dancers of the contemporary scene.[6]

In 2003 she premiered La dona manca o Barbi-Superestar, a show that explores the female universe. Nine female performers, six dancers, and three musicians build and deconstruct the feminine world, its integrity and fragility. In her review for the newspaper La Vanguardia, Teresa Sesé wrote:

The show is presented as a "drunkenness of contrasts" that proposes "striking metaphors about the fantasy of happiness, female suffering, sexual myths or isolation." Of course, all this, she clarifies, "from a surrealist perspective and with a point of madness."[7]

In the spring of 2009 Picó premiered El llac de les mosques (The Lake of the Flies), a piece for two dancers, four musicians, and an actor, described as:

Under the pretext of doing a revue, a look back, she has structured this show around a rock and roll concert, full of humor and cross readings. In this work she handles genre themes to the rhythm of rock, blues, flamenco, etc.[8]

In 2012 she prepared Llàgrimes d'Àngel (Angel Tears) on the occasion of the presentation of the Romanesque Art Collection at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.[9] That November she inaugurated the Fringe Festival, Beijing's international avant-garde performing arts event, with El llac de les mosques.[8]

Her next production was Memòries d'una puça (Memories of a Flea). In 2013 Picó reflected on the financial crisis and proposed a flight forward as a reaction and hope for the social situation. A very hard physical spectacle that caused a serious injury to the dancer during its premiere at the Festival Temporada Alta,[10] it was conceived "as a sort of intimate 'red movie', asking constant questions: 'In the continuous movement, do we flee or move forward?'; 'What do we leave behind and how does it affect us?'; 'To what extent are we real participants in the construction of our future?'; 'The relations established in this nomadic journey – are they complicit, are they collaborative?'; 'Who are we and how do we choose our traveling companions?'"[11]

In 2014 she presented One-hit wonders, a solo show in which she reviews her 20-year career, selecting the best moments of her shows Bésame el Cactus (2000), La dona manca o Barbi-Superestar (2003), Paella mixta (2004), Memòries d'una puça (2012), and DVA (2012).[12]

In May 2014 she premiered La piel del huevo te lo da at Barcelona's Ciutat Flamenco Festival, reflecting on women through flamenco and contemporary dance. She directed and performed in the show with actress Candela Peña in her theatrical debut, the singer La Shica, and the musicians Dani Tejedor on percussion and Bernat Guardia on double bass.[13] The work was also presented in Madrid at the Teatro del Barrio in January 2015.[14]

In February 2015, when Picó celebrated the 20th anniversary of her company, she received the City of Barcelona Dance Award for leading her artistic career "with rigor, joy, and quality" and for teamwork and her involvement in the city and the neighborhood in collaboration with other artists.[15]

In 2016, she received the National Dance Award in the Creation category, granted by Spain's Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports.[16]

Commitment to equality

Picó reflects the feminine universe in many of her works, questions stereotypes, and is committed to the defense of equality. In 2012 she endorsed a letter signed by 200 women from all areas of Catalan culture addressed to the Generalitat de Catalunya's Minister of Culture, Ferran Mascarell, calling for "an effort to combat gender inequality."[17] Also in January 2014, she endorsed a letter to the government from women intellectuals and artists requesting the withdrawal of the draft bill presented by Minister Gallardón which would reduce women's rights in regard to abortion.[18] In the show WW We Women (2015) she presents a collective and intercultural perspective with a collaborative project with other artists to reflect on the role of women within the current social structure.[19] In October 2015 she choreographed and performed in the premiere of Només som dones (We are Only Women) at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, with Míriam Iscla and Maika Makovski, directed by Carme Portaceli. It was written by Carmen Domingo about the silenced perspectives of women in the Spanish Civil War and Franco's dictatorship.[20][21]

Works

• 1993: Pevequi
• 1994: Peve, Espectacular Dance Poemato
• 1995: Spitbrides
• 1996: Bèstia
• 1996: Razona la vaca
• 1997: Love is fàstic
• 1997: Del planeta basura
• 1998: E.N.D. (Esto No Danza)
• 1999: D.V.A. (Dudoso Valor Artístico)
• 2000: Bésame el Cactus
• 2001: Amor diesel
• 2002: El 64
• 2003: La dona manca o Barbi-Superestar
• 2004: Paella mixta
• 2004: La diva y el hombre bala
• 2006: Lluna peluda
• 2006: La prima de Chita
• 2007–2008: Las Doñas
• 2008: Sirena a la plancha
• 2009: El llac de les mosques
• 2010: Cortando jamón
• 2010: Matar al bicho
• 2011: Petra, la mujer araña y el putón de la abeja Maya with Maru Valdivieso
• 2012: Lágrimas de Ángel
• 2012: Spanish Omelette
• 2013: Memorias de una pulga
• 2014: One-hit wonders
• 2014: La piel del huevo te lo da with Candela Peña and La Shica
• 2015: WW We Women
• 2015: Només son dones with Míriam Iscla and Maika Makovski, directed by Carme Portaceli

Collaborations

• 1990–2003: No es todo metal with Francesc Bravo's Company Rayo Malayo; short film Ojos que no ven with Sigfrid Monleón; dance video No Paris with Joan Pueyo; Dadle café y XXX with La Fura dels Baus; Etrangel with La Danaus Teatro; Filo with Juan López; Cròniques with Joan Ollé; Lear with Carme Portaceli
• 1991: Actress at the 1st Conferencia en Rilolaxcia '91 with Los Rinos
• 1993: Video of the El Último de la Fila song "Como un burro amarrado en la puerta del baile"[7]
• 1993: Actress in the short film Retrats directed by Marcel.lí Antúnez and JM Aixalá
• 2003: Actress and co-director with Octavi Masià on the short film El 64
• 2007: Artistic direction of the 2007 Premios Max gala in Bilbao, and of Viatges a la Felicitat for the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya's project "T Dansa"
• 2009: Direction of the marionette play and music for the Barcelona salon "La Puntual" with singer Mariona Sagarra and puppeteer Eugenio Navarro; recording of the short film Praeludium by Pau Durà; actress and dancer in the play El Ball directed by Sergi Belbel
• 2010: Guided tour Vist per Sol Picó of the Picasso Museum in Barcelona
• 2011: Participation in the exhibition Salvador Dalí canta at the Acoustic Festival of Figueres; participation in the inaugural season of the Theater l'Archipel of Perpignan; participation in the TV special Una historia para el nuevo año; guided tour of the MNAC with the piece Llàgrimes d'Àngel
• 2012: Choreography for the Gala Gaudí; workshops Animalaris in Madrid and Juneda InCursió, Lleida; choreography for the concert A tot Vent at L'Auditori, Barcelona; appearance in the Dácil López music video "¿Por qué no estás aquí?"
• 2015: Film Cerca de tu casa with director Eduard Cortés about evictions[22]

Awards and recognitions

Premios Max

Year	Category	Work	Result	Ref.
2002	Best Choreography	Bésame el Cactus	Won	[23]
2002	Best Dance Show	Bésame el Cactus	Nominated	[23]
2002	Best Women's Dance Performance	Bésame el Cactus	Won	[23]
2003	Best Dance Show	Bésame el Cactus	Won	[24]
2004	Best Dance Show	La dona manca o Barbi-Superestar	Won	[25]
2004	Best Choreography	La dona manca o Barbi-Superestar	Won	[25]
2005	Best Choreography	Paella Mixta	Won	[26]
2009	Best Dance Show	Sirena a la plancha	Won	[27]
2010	Best Choreography	El Llac de les mosques	Won	[28]
2011	Best Choreography	El ball	Won	[29]
2011	Best Women's Dance Performance	El ball	Won	[29]

Others

• 2002: Butaca Award for Best Dance Show for Bésame el Cactus
• 2002: Valencia Critics' Award for Bésame el Cactus
• 2002: Distinguished with Applause by the FAD Sebastià Gasch Prizes for Bésame el Cactus
• 2003: Performing Arts Awards of the Generalitat Valenciana: Best Dance Performer, Best Choreographic Direction, Best Dance Show for Bésame el Cactus
• 2003: Public Prize of Tarragona for Best Dance Show for Bésame el Cactus
• 2003: Butaca Award for Best Dance Show for La dona manca o Barbi-Superestar
• 2004: National Dance Award of Catalonia[30]
• 2007: Billboard Award of Turias
• 2008: La Peladilla d'Or d'Alcoy
• 2009: FAD Sebastià Gasch Prize for El Llac de les Mosques[31]
• 2009: Prize for Best Show of the 15th edition of the International Street Theater Festival in Pula, Croatia for Sirena a la plancha
• 2009: Prize for Best Dance Production of the 23rd International Theater and Dance Fair of Huesca for El llac de les mosques
• 2012: Prize of the TVE program Continuará
• 2015: City of Barcelona Dance Award[15]
• 2016: National Dance Award of Spain, Creation Category[16]

References

1. Borràs Castanyer, Laura (1 January 2002). Deseo, construcción y personaje [Desire, Construction, and Character] (in Spanish). Fundación Autor. p. 265. ISBN 9788489736351. Retrieved 4 December 2018 – via Google Books.
2. "La Danza Teatro en Cataluña" [Dance Theater in Catalonia]. Danza Ballet (in Spanish). 26 September 2006. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
3. Grau, Abel (25 August 2013). "Sol Picó: 'A Dénia combinava feina i festa amb els amics'" [Sol Picó: 'Dénia Combined Work and Party with Friends']. Ara (in Catalan). Retrieved 4 December 2018.
4. "Sol Picó" (in Spanish). Ministry of Culture and Sport. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
5. Brasa, Camino (1998). "Sol Picó – Visceral". El Mundo La Revista (in Spanish). No. 182. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
6. "Candela Peña y Sol Picó, mujeres con luz propia" [Candela Peña and Sol Picó, Women With Their Own Light]. Carne Cruda (in Spanish). 11 January 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
7. Sesé, Teresa (27 May 2003). "Sol Picó exploralos contrastes del imaginario femenino en el Teatre Nacional" [Sol Picó Explores the Contrasts of the Feminine Imaginary at the Teatre Nacional]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
8. "'El llac de les mosques' (El lago de las moscas): Sol Picó inaugura el Fringe Festival" (in Spanish). Instituto Cervantes Beijing. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
9. "Llàgrimes d'àngel" (in Spanish). Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
10. "Sol Picó huye hacia adelante frente a la crisis en su coreografía 'Memòries d'una puça' en el Grec" [Sol Picó Flees Forward in the Face of the Crisis in Her Choreography 'Memòries d'una puça' at the Grec]. La Información (in Spanish). Barcelona. Europa Press. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
11. Castellanos, L. (24 October 2014). "Sol Picó, una de las grandes figuras de la danza contemporánea española, llega hoy al Auditorio" [Sol Picó, One of the Great Figures of Contemporary Spanish Dance, Arrives Today at the Auditorium]. iLeon.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 December 2018.
12. Cervera, Marta (2 October 2014). "Sol Picó mira por el retrovisor" [Sol Picó Looks in the Rear-view Mirror]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
13. del Val, Carmen (22 May 2014). "Marató flamenca" [Flamenco Marathon]. El País (in Catalan). Barcelona. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
14. Valdés Aragonés, Isabel (7 January 2015). "La primera vez de Candela Peña" [Candela Peña's First Time]. El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
15. "'Ciutat morta', Jaume Plensa i Albert Guinovart, Premis Ciutat de Barcelona". Ara (in Catalan). Barcelona. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
16. "La alcoyana Sol Picó, Premio Nacional de Danza 2016 en modalidad de creación" [The Alcoy Native Sol Picó, 2016 National Dance Award in Creation Category]. Información (in Spanish). 14 November 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
17. "Piden a Mascarell que se implique en la igualdad de género cultural" [Mascarell Asked to Get Involved in Cultural Gender Equality]. El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
18. "Mujeres intelectuales y artistas exigen al gobierno que retire el Anteproyecto de ley del aborto" [Women Intellectuals and Artists Demand that the Government Withdraw the Draft Bill on Abortion]. nosotrasdecidimos (in Spanish). 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
19. "Sol Picó: W.W. (We Women)" (in Spanish). City Council of Barcelona. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
20. Blanco, Leticia (6 October 2015). "Mujeres en guerra" [Women in War]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
21. "Només són dones" (in Spanish). Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
22. Belinchón, Gregorio (16 February 2015). "Los desahucios, un drama de cine" [Evictions, a Film Drama]. El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
23. "Segundo Trimestre" [Second Trimester] (PDF). Memoria 2002 (in Spanish). Sociedad General de Autores y Editores: 56–58. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
24. "Palmarés" (in Spanish). Premios Max. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
25. "'Las bicicletas son para el verano', de Fernando Fernán Gómez, triunfadora de los Premios MAX" ['Las bicicletas son para el verano', by Fernando Fernán Gómez, Winner at the Premios Max] (in Spanish). Zaragoza. Europa Press. 27 April 2004. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
26. "Historia" (in Spanish). Premios Max. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
27. Torres, Rosana (1 April 2009). "El grupo Animalario vuelve a triunfar en los Premios Max" [The Group Animalario Returns to Triumph at the Premios Max]. El País (in Spanish). Las Palmas. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
28. Torres, Rosana (3 May 2010). "La gran pifia de los Premios Max" [The Big Gaffe of the Premios Max]. El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
29. "Lista de ganadores de los premios Max 2011" [List of Winners of the 2011 Premios Max] (in Spanish). RTVE. EFE. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
30. "Premis Nacionals de Cultura 2004" (PDF). Memòria del Departament de Cultura 2004 (in Catalan). Generalitat de Catalunya: 160. 31 December 2004. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
31. "Sol Picó". FAD Sebastià Gasch Prize. Retrieved 4 December 2018.

External links

• Sol Picó on IMDb