The Full Story
Bio
Gilmtzm, also known as Gilberto Martinez Martinez (He/Him), is a Chicanx Queer male-identifying artist, raised in Riverdale, CA. His work derives from his upbringing and cultural heritage while striving for creative differences through and as part of the queer community. Gilberto has taught and choreographed middle school through collegiate level students for over seven years, and has worked in arts administration for dance departments at Fresno City College and Roosevelt High School of the Arts, to name a few. While his main focus of performance and teaching is based in Modern and Contemporary dance, his training also includes Ballet, Jazz, and other social dance forms. Gilberto recently graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies as of May 2024 but will continue in pursuit of his Master's in Choreographic Inquiry at the University of California, Los Angeles, with a mission to inspire others to love dance in their bodies.
Artistic Statement
I am a Chicano Queer male-identifying artist. My movement incorporates inspirations from my Chicanx and queer personal experiences as well as the exploration of human emotions. I am currently intrigued by film dance aspects to further push the arts into the technological age, exploring the use of videography in relation to live performance, when in-person may not be an option due to our real time pandemic issue, but also in use like that of Screendance. I am also working on generating a more diverse youth population in the arts through being the Chicanx queer representation I never saw, and have been expanding my knowledge into higher education dance with UC Berkeley. In addition to creating in-person performance experiences, I hope to push the definition of performance to an online spectrum while still attaining the same emotional effect via screen and video.
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Photo by Robbie Sweeny, with UCB student Tatianna Steiner
Equity Statement
I believe theater and dance have the power to transform and change the world. Providing inclusive platforms for diverse voices, fostering empathy, and promoting social justice are but a fraction of what we as artists can do through such a medium. I am involved with the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQIA2+ communities and strive to be a catalyst for social change through theater and dance platforms. I work towards creating a space encouraging dialogue and critical thinking to tackle complex social issues and have thought-provoking discussion. By harnessing the transformative power, I invite my collaborators and visitors to work towards creating a more equitable and compassionate world.
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Photo By: Ben Dillon (TDPS UCB Faculty Member), Dancer Callista Crabtree UC Berkeley Alumni
