After years of performing under renowned choreographers, five dancers found themselves at a crossroads—ready for something new but not yet ready to step away from dance. Instead of following the traditional path, they formed Las Danzas, a collective built on collaboration and a desire to create on their own terms.
The group brings together a range of backgrounds: Faith Kimberling, a longtime performer with the Isadora Duncan Dance Company and WHITE WAVE; Ivanova Aguilar, originally from Mexico City, who has danced with independent New York companies; Kendra Dushac McCarthy, who has performed with companies like Tina Croll & Co. and Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater and works as a Neuromyofascia specialist; Lucia Campoy, a Feldenkrais practitioner with over 25 years of professional dance experience; and Heather Panikkar, a dancer who has performed nationally and internationally, and who is also a dance educator for New York City public schools.
What started as a casual “Ballet Club”—a group of friends meeting for dance performances—quickly turned into something more. Now, Las Danzas are shaping their own choreographic language, blending backgrounds and styles into a more fluid process. Their debut performance, “Collective,” premiered at Spark Theatre Festival, marking the beginning of what they hope will be a long and ever-changing journey.
In this conversation, the dancers of Las Danzas discuss their origins and what comes next.
A New Chapter in Dance
How did the idea of forming your own company first come about? Was there a defining moment that pushed you to take the leap?
The idea of working together has been a long-time conversation. We often talked about creating something of our own, and finally, last spring, we decided to meet for coffee and put our heads together.
Faced with the reality of what felt like an early retirement, we realized we weren’t ready to step away from dance.
The defining moment came after a series of life changes—our choreographers, who had guided us for years, were aging, and we experienced significant losses. Three of us lost a choreographer we had deeply admired and worked with for decades to illness, while another choreographer, who had strongly influenced two of us, retired and moved to L.A. Others of us recognized the need for a change after dancing for years with a choreographer and loving it, but wanting to continue exploring and growing in different directions.
Faced with the reality of what felt like an early retirement, we realized we weren’t ready to step away from dance. Instead of letting circumstances define our path, we made the choice to come together and create new opportunities.
The Name Behind Las Danzas
The name “Las Danzas”—how did you choose it, and what does it represent to you?
At first, we jokingly called ourselves “Ballet Club.” Our tradition of meeting up for ladies’ nights at New York City Ballet performances, City Center, and The Joyce Theater to watch dance performances led to the nickname, and it stuck—even as we began our early rehearsals. For a while, we continued referring to ourselves as “Ballet Club,” until we decided it was time for something more serious.
It’s like weaving a tapestry, where every thread contributes to the bigger picture.
As we brainstormed, many names were tossed around, but it was our dancer Lucia Campoy, who is from Spain, who suggested Las Danzas, meaning “The Dances.” The name resonated, not only capturing the essence of our shared artistry but also reflecting our multicultural roots—with another of our dancers, Ivanova Aguilar, hailing from Mexico. Las Danzas felt like the perfect representation of who we are—an ensemble of diverse voices coming together through the language of dance.
Collaboration as a Creative Force
Your process is highly collaborative—how do you balance five unique artistic voices when creating work?
Each of us brings something unique to the process, and we thrive on the push and pull of ideas. Rather than working under a single choreographer—though we may take turns in that role in the future—our current dynamic is built on collective creation.
We approach movement as a shared conversation—each of us may develop a phrase, which we then refine together before weaving those motifs into the larger work. As the movement evolves through repetition, another dancer may reinterpret a motif, adding their own voice and shaping the piece in an organic way for them.
It’s like weaving a tapestry, where every thread contributes to the bigger picture. By embracing each other’s strengths, we create work that is layered, and embellished with glimpses of our individual styles and diverse backgrounds.
How have your years of experience in the professional dance world shaped the kind of work you’re currently creating?
Having spent over 20 years as professional dancers, we’ve performed under many choreographers and within different movement styles. Our varied dance history has given us an understanding of what moves us, what challenges us artistically, and what stories we want to tell. We also know the importance of sustainability in dance—how to create work that feels good in our bodies while still pushing artistic boundaries. There’s a newfound freedom in this phase of our careers; this is an opportunity for us to create work that isn’t about fulfilling someone else’s vision, but about exploring what moves us now, discovering what resonates within us that might connect with viewers (others?)
You compared your dynamic to the Spice Girls, which is such an iconic group. How do you each bring your own “flavor” to the company?
Absolutely! Like the Spice Girls, we each have distinct personalities and styles that make Las Danzas unique. Some of us lean into classically inspired movement, while others embrace a wilder, eclectic style—and all of us shape-shift in dynamic as we interact, adapting to the moment. Some thrive in structured patterns and simple partnering, while others prefer improvisation and chance, creating a beautiful balance that keeps our work dynamic and ever-evolving.
Beyond the studio, we bring diverse strengths—whether in teaching, healing arts, choreography, or production—which makes us a well-rounded team. Just like the Spice Girls, we celebrate our individuality while coming together as a cohesive group, each adding a distinct signature that elevates our work.
You just premiered “Collective” at the Spark Theatre Festival—what was that experience like?
“Collective” was especially meaningful to us as it marked our first creation and served as a foundation for how we collaborate. It reflects the power of connection and resilience, exploring the relationships, experiences, and influences that shape us. The piece represents the ebb and flow of people and moments in our lives—some remain, some fade, yet all have played a role in bringing us to where we are now. Though the future is uncertain, we are all interwoven, connected in ways both seen and unseen.
More than anything, it’s an opportunity for five dancers to come together, do what we love most, and share that experience with close friends.
The movement is expansive, fluid, and grounding, mirroring this idea of connection and transformation. What’s most exciting is that “Collective” is not a static work—it is forever evolving, much like the relationships and experiences it represents. This version may not even be the final one, and that openness to change is what makes it so fascinating.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Las Danzas
What are your hopes for Las Danzas moving forward? Do you see yourselves continuing to create new works together?
Yes! We have really enjoyed dancing in the studio and working together on our first piece! It has been such joy. We are learning, and we want to keep evolving. As a group we have a wealth of dance performance experience, but we are relatively new to choreography and are just starting to develop our voices. Our goal is to continue developing new works while exploring different performance spaces.
After debuting at Spark Festival, we have two exciting upcoming performances—a work-in-progress showing in Brooklyn and a performance at the Ailey Citigroup Theater on April 26 at 7 p.m., hosted by the New York City Department of Education.
What has been the most rewarding part of forming Las Danzas at this stage in your careers?
We may each answer this question differently, but we all share the same core belief—it’s about coming together as a group of diverse and individual creative women. It’s about having fun and challenging ourselves in a new way. Pushing our artistry, and seeing what we can accomplish when we create on our own terms.
More than anything, it’s an opportunity for five dancers to come together, do what we love most, and share that experience with close friends—a rare and special gift in our journey as artists.
Featured image courtesy of Kendra Dushac McCarthy.
