Tension

Finalist 2024

THE PROJECT / From the investigation of the materiality of elastic bands, Tension stages our own vulnerability. Facing a large latex wall, the artist attempts to make her way with acrobatics, aerial work and dance. She reveals an intimate space of discomfort where pleasure turns to pain and pain to aggression. But how much pain can one take? 

BIO / Born in Argentina, Elis Valente trained as a circus artist with a primary focus on aerial acrobatics. She earned a degree as a professor of body expression-dance and complemented her training with various other movement arts. Her professional dedication revolves around aerial disciplines and scenography, which contribute to shaping her artistic language. 

She participated as a performer in the dance group DanzAbismal, a collective of dancers dedicated to researching, experimenting, and producing performative interventions in unconventional spaces. She co-founded Compañía Anexo23 with Meme Canziani. Together, as directors and performers, they created the piece PVC (C2H3Cl)n, which was showcased in many venues across Buenos Aires. Currently, she leads her own company.