SHOES OF MIGRATION to Bring Cumbia, Ballet, Salsa and Odissi to Arts On Site

Shoes of Migration: Cumbia, Ballet, Salsa, Odissi, an intercultural dance production exploring migration and identity through four different dance traditions, will be presented at Arts On Site in Manhattan on November 23, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Created and directed by Colombian artist Elisa Toro Franky, the production brings Cumbia, Ballet, Salsa and Odissi together on a single stage, drawing on the migration experiences and cultural backgrounds of its participating artists.

The project grew out of Toro Franky's own experience as a migrant artist and the role dance has played in connecting her with her roots while navigating life away from her place of origin. She subsequently invited fellow artists Jeevika, Leonel, Galen and Thiago, whose backgrounds connect the project to India, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and the United States.

“This work stems from the understanding that each of us carries a story, a culture, and a unique way of inhabiting the world,” said Toro Franky. “When we come together with respect, those differences do not separate us: they can become an opportunity to learn from one another and create something new together.”

Rather than treating migration solely as movement between countries, Shoes of Migration considers how the experience can reshape a person's relationship with identity, roots and belonging.

The production places four dance forms with distinct histories alongside one another. Performers appear in pointe shoes, Salsa heels and alpargatas, as well as barefoot, with each form retaining its individual identity while encountering the others onstage.

The performance will also feature live sitar and percussion music from sitarist and composer Galen Passen and percussionist Thiago Trad.