Where: Pieter Performance Space and Facebook Livestream: HERE
Cost: FREE w/ RSVP
Day 1: The Esgrima de Machete Festival will begin with a lecture on the history of the art in Colombia, its early contribution to the Spanish War for Independence and its development and progression to our present day. Led by visiting teacher Maestro Miguel Lourido Velez will discuss various regional styles and the subtle differences in how they play the game. The talk will culminate with live demonstrations of different forms of Esgrima.
This lecture will be in both English and Spanish. Live interpretation via headsets will be made available to all attendees.
This 3-day festival is the culmination of a 16-week long class series collaboration between Maestro Sonny Batata and Pieter Performance Space.
About: Esgrima de Machete is an Afro-Colombian martial and cultural art that dates back to the Colombian struggle for Independence from Spain and later the landowners that oppressed enslaved peoples. Esgrima is an elegant but crafty art that creates body control, refined skill and rhythm, showing how martial arts and music evolve across the diaspora, and centering a history, which enslavement, colonization and white supremacist violence has attempted to destroy, erase and hide. This 3-day festival is the culmination of a 16-week long class series collaboration between Maestro Sonny Batata and Pieter Performance Space.
Bio: Maestro Miguel Lourido Velez descends from a long line of “grimistas” in the Machete y Bordon systems of the Afro-Colombians in Cauca Valley. His journey began in Puerto Tejada as a child. He would sneak to watch the rehearsals of the “Macheteros of Death” and later joined the group at the age of 15yrs. He would grow in the art through learning from a succession of maestros and finally studying exclusively with Gran Masetro Hector Sandoval. Together, they established and operate the Academia de Esgrima y Machete and continue to uphold this Afro-Colombian tradition.
Access Info:
Can’t attend in-person? A close-captioned livestream will be available on our Facebook page. Please note: This lecture will take place in English and Spanish without live translation on the livestream.
There will be limited chair seating and ample floor seating with blankets, cushions and mats provided.
The space is located on the 2nd floor with one flight of stairs directly up from the entrance. Elevator access is available; please email pieterpasd@gmail.com prior to event if you will be using it. The elevator is spacious enough for any mobility device and the 2nd floor space is free of any steps or mobility barriers. There are no automated doors in the building.
There are two all-gender restrooms with three private stalls and a urinal. Each restroom has one stall accessible for mobility device users.
Free parking is available directly behind our building at 2412 Workman Street. There are two additional free city lots south of Broadway on Workman Street. There is also ample metered parking in the neighborhood, free after 6pm or 8pm, depending on the street.
Have questions or need additional accommodations? Email pieterpasd@gmail.com and we will do our best to assist you.
This programming is made possible in part by a grant from the California Arts Council and the Dca Los Angeles.