SOL

A regenerative community gathering at the park, featuring Indigenous artists, live performance, films, environmental justice talks, and more…

SOL: Invertigo’s Bi-Annual Solstice Celebration!

SOL is a multidisciplinary storytelling initiative that illuminates local environmental justice issues via a community gathering, art share, and discussion. Initiated in 2021 by Invertigo’s then Community Engagement Manager – and now Curator! – Rosa Lisbeth Navarette, SOL explores our relationship to identity, ancestry, and the local lands we inhabit by creating accessible avenues of understanding through dance, film, and poetry.

SOL invites the public to reimagine their relationship with nature by uplifting Indigenous and Latinx/e artists and environmental activists and artists whose work responds to current environmental issues, public land stewardship, and the symbiotic relationship between the human body, the Earth, and our shifting climate.

SOL 2023: a day of family-friendly, inspiring dialogues, art, and dance at the Stoneview Nature Center!

This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. SOL 2023 is also made possible in part by the City of Culver City and its Cultural Affairs Commission, with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Culver City Arts Foundation.

SOL on Spectrum News!

“SOL rhymes with soul and carries the sun in its meaning. This program began with a desire to celebrate dance, nature, and summer. since its inception in 2021, SOL has grown to highlight environmental justice needs through art integration.”

– Rosa Lisbeth Navarrete, SOL Curator

SOL Artists ~ 2023

Rosa Lisabeth Navarrete, SOL Curator

Rosa Lisbeth Navarrete (she/her) is a Peruvian immigrant, writer, director & performer raised in Los Angeles. She’s a graduate of University of California, Berkeley’s English/Creative Writing program & a 2021 Justice for My Sister BIPOC Sci-Fi Screenwriting fellow. Rosa loves to tell fantastical stories about womxn, children & underdogs. She’s a writer/director on “The Train” an independent series developed with Showrunner Yelyna De Leon & Casa 0101 Theater (LA Skins Festival 2021), & a co-creator on “A’we Deh Ya” a film by Paloma McGregor (Best Screendance Film, Denton Black Film Festival 2022). Rosa is currently the Operations Manager at Justice for My Sister. | www.rosastory.com

“SOL has given me a space to talk about and celebrate the beautiful Indigenous communities living in our city. I love that we are able to invite the community to inquire and deeply think about the lands we inhabit, stolen land that should be respected, and protected.”

Luz María De la Torre

Luz María De la Torre Amaguana is a Kichwa (Quechua) indigenous woman from Ecuador. She joins the Spanish and Portuguese Department at UCLA in 2009. She has been appointed as a Continuing Lecturer at the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and Latin American Institute, UCLA. She received her BA in Languages and Applied Linguistics from the Catholic University of Ecuador (1997). Her thesis was focused on Indigenous Bilingual Education. She earned her Master’s degree in Political Sciences at FLACSO (2006). Her research concentrated on the Indigenous Movement and its relation to the Ecuadorian government, specifically since the 1990s when the Indigenous National uprising took place. She has taught at numerous universities in Ecuador and the U.S., including Middlebury College, and Arizona State University-ASU. She worked in the Ministries of Education and Foreign Relations. She has served as a consultant for a wide range of national and international institutions and NGOs. Her research, writing, and teaching focus on topics related to the Andean Indigenous Cosmovision, Kichwa Literature, Gender from the Andean perspective, Andean Alternative Economy and Knowledge, and New Political Relations between the Nation-State and indigenous Peoples. Currently, her latest book proposal deals with “What it means to be an Indigenous woman today.” In addition, she is developing a Manual for teaching the Quechua/Kichwa language, and a book of Ecuadorian Kichwa Poetry.

Javi Pulpolibri

Javi Pulpolibri is a nature surrealist and multimedia artist based in Los Angeles. Their eye for nature wraps the subject around the vivid colors from the environment. Portfolio to date includes residency @ Ek valley; curator pop ups at both of their locations. Money florist, Live painting for various events, muralist, vendor at multiple pop ups. As well as photography in fashion shows, festivals, show premiers, weddings, graduation photos, and more.

Rio Oxas

Río Oxas (they/them) is of Nahuat-Pipil and Mayan ancestry born & raised in Tongva lands (Los Angeles). Río is a nonbinary-queer, national speaker, an educator, realtor and consultant for equity and racial justice. They co-envisioned RAHOK, a family-owned business that illuminates the interdependence of Race, Ancestors, Health, Outdoors and Knowledge to cultivate loving Eco-Hoods. RAHOK centers and uplifts the work of people, tribes, and communities who center all life on earth.

Jennifer Sanchez of Danza Divina de Los Angeles

Jennifer Sanchez is a Los Angeles-based artist, danzante, choreographer, director and producer who began studying and performing at 9 years old – traditional Danza Azteca with renown Danza General, Lazaro Arvizu. As a student of Arvizu and a member of his group, Xipe Totec, Sanchez performed all over the Southwest. Later Sanchez collaborated with maestro Xavier Quijas Yxyoatl on various presentations and performances, including a music accompaniment for Greek composer Yanni. Jeniffer operates at the intersection of performance art, multimedia theatre and Mesoamerican dance tradition. She began theatrical performance in 1994 with the political satire group “Mal Ojo” and members of Chicano Secret Service comedy troupe, and since then has been commissioned to create Aztec Dance Performances for the Alaska Native Heritage Center, Hollywood Forever and Culture Clash.

Sanchez’s current project is Danza Divina de Los Angeles, a Danza Azteca troop based at Plaza de la Raza. Thanks to a grant from Eastside Arts Initiative & support of Plaza de la Raza, Jeniffer recently produced & directed a multimedia Danza performance celebrating Mexica New Year called LA Ofrenda at the Margo Albert Theater.

Derion Loman

Derion Loman was born in Fairfield, California. His interest in dance came from his involvement in color guard, where he toured with the World Championship Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. Derion graduated in 2012 with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.F.A. in Dance from the University of California Santa Barbara. He was a pioneer member of BHdos, Ballet Hispanico’s Second Company, where he performed at a variety of events and venues including Symphony Space Theatre, The FBI, and The Presidential Inauguration. He started with Pilobolus as the company’s first-ever Dancer Apprentice and was cast as a full-time company member in 2014. He joined the touring cast of Diavolo Architecture in Motion where he was a finalist for America’s Got Talent, and a leading role in their newest creation “Voyage”. Most recently Derion is known for being a Divisional Finalist on NBC’s World of Dance where his choreography is being considered for an Emmy.

Hyosun Choi

Hyosun Choi grew up attending a Korean cultural dance school, and by the age of 7, she was winning National and Regional Ballroom Dance Competitions, including the Grand Prix. Hyosun attended the University of Southern California on a scholarship and graduated in 3 years with a B.A in Biology and a minor in Cinema. During her last year, having enrolled in a jazz class on a whim, Hyosun was asked to join USC’s Jazz II Dance Company, and to perform for both faculty and student choreographers. One of the graduating choreographers she was paired up with was Kate Hutter, co-founder of Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC), who would hire her years later. Hyosun began dancing recreationally at EDGE Performing Arts Center as she secretly pursued professional acting while studying at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Encouraged by her family, she went to New York Law School. In New York, she took open classes at Atlantic Acting School, Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center (BDC) and STEPS. BDC’s faculty teacher, Ginger Cox, invited her to join LiNK Dance Company. This launched her professional dance career. Within a few weeks of moving back to Los Angeles, she auditioned for LACDC and was hired. Hyosun currently dances with LACDC, Invertigo Dance Theatre, Iris Company, and La Dansa Dansa. She is a certified trainer in the Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Methods, works as a Corporate Trainer at Bank of Hope, is admitted to the State Bar in CA and NY, plays cello, piano, and guitar, composes music, and reads books.

Colleen Hendricks

Colleen Hendricks, a native of Sonoma County, CA began dancing at 4 years old training in various styles. At 14, Hendricks joined the pre professional modern company Surge Dance under the direction of Bernadette Alverio performing all over the Bay Area. She moved to Southern California in 2014 to obtain her BFA in Dance at California State University, Long Beach and was a two time recipient of the Fine Arts Affiliates Scholarship. Hendricks has performed works by guest artists such as Colleen Thomas, Sidra Bell, Doug Varone and Robert Moses and has shown and performed her own work at the American College Dance Association (Baja Region) and was chosen to be performed at the closing Gala Ceremony.Upon graduating, Hendricks has collaborated and danced for Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Jacob Jonas The Company, Acts of Matter & Keith Johnson and Dancers in addition to commercial credits such as The Marias, Kali Uchis and Payson Lewis. She is currently a faculty member and Artistic Director of a pre professional dance Company Off The Floor in Signal Hill, CA and contemporary & modern teacher at OCSA Commercial Dance Program.

Vahagn

Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Vahagni started playing guitar at 9, first learning classical techniques and how to read music before playing flamenco. After receiving his Masters of Fine Arts at the California Institute of the Arts, Vahagni embarked on his professional career first playing in a number of jazz clubs, then recording his first album Short Stories in 2008, followed by Solitude in 2012. In 2014, Vahagni toured with Afro-Spanish singer Buika, then released a third album Imagined Frequencies in 2015. From 2016-2017, Vahagni joined the multi platinum selling electro rock group Capital Cities for a nationwide tour as lead guitarist. Apart from his solo projects, Vahagni has recently joined forces with singer/songwriter Ryan Merchant (Capital Cities) to form the group Paco Versailles. Their sound is a mix of flamenco guitar rhythms with disco-leaning electronic production and captivating vocals, a new genre they call Dancemenco.