Artistic Director inFlux, choreographer, teacher
Lucía Baumgartner grew up in Switzerland, Spain and Liberia. During her training as nationally licensed teacher she discovered dance: passionate daily training was followed by professional training at the London Contemporary Dance School in England. She completed this education in 1999 and holds a Masters Degree in Choreography. In 2014 she acquired a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology.
Lucía has changed homes from early childhood. This experience characterises the work with the company. inFlux was part of many different festivals nationally and internationally.
Lucía teaches workshops and leads projects all over the world. In addition Lucía works as a mentor for young choreographers. Over 2000 students in Switzerland benefit every year from her knowledge in dance mediation. As a teacher Lucía works with music students of Hochschule der Künste (Academy of Art) in Bern and Zürich and with aspiring scholars of University Fribourg. In her passion lies her power of persuasion, which she brings to bear as a dance mediator in various contexts and teams. Among other things she developed a set of cards (www.tanzist.ch) that allows people to talk about dance in a more relaxed way, initiated the dance festival in Thun (www.dastanzfest.ch/thun) for the local population, developed the concept around the World Dance Day that enables school classes in the canton of Berne to have their first contact with contemporary dance (www.welttanztag.ch) and worked until 2021 on the mediation concept of the national dance festival STEPS.
Lucía understands choreographic work as closing the ranks between Dance, Theatre, other body-oriented (Tranining)Methods, Music and Architecture. This joint effort of many disciplines becomes visible in her productions: The essential and the trivial, dreams and reality alike ignites the artistic process. These creations combine Lucía’s southern temperament and her Swiss sobriety. Lucía considers the world her home. Her upbringing was distinguished by migrating between countries and continents. This state of moving influences inFlux. She loves being on the road, to take root in different projects and through them in different cultures.
Awards and Scholarships
2021/22 «Workshops zum Welttanztag», prize winner of «prêt-à-participer» for schools selected by the canton of Bern
2021 Funding accent «Continuer - contributions for cultural workers to development and deepening»
2021 «#HelvetiaTanzt» awarded by Jubilanno, (alliance F and Stiftung Mercator)
2013 1st Price at the Generation Video Contest together with filmmaker Sean Wirz for the film «Tanz der Generationen»
2013 «Silberbär 2013» of Pro Senectute for «Vorgestern ist Übermorgen»
2007 Funds from the canton of Bern for further development for «Wolkenfänger»
2005 Funds from the canton of Bern for further development for «point of fragmented view»
2003 Scholarship from the canton of Bern Atelier Cité internat. des Arts to go to Paris for six month.
2002 Award for the most promising artist of the city of Thun
2001 Scholarship On/Off Werkstatt Bern for the Workshop with David Zambrano
2000 Finalist at the 4th International Dance -Theater-Festival (Stuttgart) with «Ich suche nach der Blauen Blume»
1999 Chosen for SiWiC (Swiss International Coaching Project for Choreographers)
1997/98 Scholarship of the London Contemporary Dance Trust (London)
1998 Scholarship of the Links Fund (London)
1997 Scholarship of the Foundation for the promotion of arts (Zürich)
Lucía's choreographic incentive:
«My curiosity drives me: Curiosity about people, curiosity about life. Creating dance in confined circumstances and constricted surroundings challenges my entire being and makes me come alive. I choreograph because I have to. I choreograph to counter the dullness and ruthlessness. I aim to create a poetic honesty through dedication to the concealed. Devoted practice, expression and strength of the individual before me leave their mark on my movement language. I choreograph for sheer lust for life.»
Lucía's focus in teaching:
«Every participant in my class I perceive in her or his uniqueness. It is my job to see your individual abilities and develop them further. In this process you will discover the range of your physical tensity, your coordination abilities, your own strength. We embark on a journey together: By ways of disciplined work and passion I am challenging you to become aware of your limitations and then to move those goal posts a little further and doing so in a constant dialogue with a plethora of music from all genres.»
Lucía's mediating focus:
«It is my concern that dance does not as a «high culture» only reach the people with high affinity. With different cultural mediation formats, I want on the one hand to contribute to cultural participation (a human right), enabling an equal opportunity and low lying access in favour of dance, and on the other hand to get contemporary dance out of its niche-existence and get off the pedestal. I bring dance to the public space or let it be experienced as a cultural participatory joint activity in projects. I listen to where and how people connect, to what interests and wishes they have around dance and take these into account in programs and formats, or pass them on to others. I mediate with passion and at eye level with those involved.»
Photography: Alexandra Jäggi 2020
You have such wit, sensuality, professionalism and zest for life in your projects - chapeaux! N.D. 2022
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