Yebel Gallegos is a Mexican American multi-faceted dance artist from El Paso, Texas. He played an important role in the founding of Cressida Danza Contemporánea in Yucatán, Mexico. During his time with Cressida Danza, Yebel served as dancer, company teacher, rehearsal director, and academic coordinator for the Conservatorio de Danza de Yucatán. While in Mexico, he also helped in the creation and implementation of the Festival Yucatán Escénica, an international contemporary dance festival hosted by Cressida Danza. More recently, Yebel concluded a six-year tenure working full time with the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. While in Utah, he also involved himself in projects with local artists, as well as teaching various population groups in Utah and across the United States. Yebel has had the fortune to travel internationally as a performer and educator to countries such as South Korea, Mongolia, France, Austria, and Chile. He earned his BFA in dance, both from the University of Texas at Austin and from the Escuela Profesional de Danza de Mazatlán, directed by Delfos Dance Company. In the Spring of 2021, Yebel received his Master's in Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle and now holds a Visiting Assistant Professor position in the Dance Program at Bard College.

Follow Yebel on Instagram @yebel_07

EXCHANGE #8
In conversation with Yebel Gallegos (Annadale-on-Hudson, New York)
Recorded on August 23, 2021

This is an edited version of Joanna and Yebel’s hour and a half conversation and includes topics such as: borders, culture, and balancing all of our passions, interests, and selves.

*To turn closed captioning on or off, click on the CC icon in the bottom right corner of the video.

Below is the raw movement exchange relayed from Milka Djordjevich to Yebel. You will see Milka doing her original movement and then you will see both of them doing Milka’s movement, which Yebel learned. Yebel will add onto this and that movement will be passed onto Sarah Beth Oppenheim in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Below is the raw movement exchange relayed from Yebel to Sarah Beth Oppenheim. You will see Yebel doing his original movement and then you will see both of them doing Yebel’s movement, which Sarah learned. Sarah will add onto this and that movement will be passed onto Bashaun Williams in Salt Lake City, UT.

Photos by (left to right): headshot by Marissa Mooney, dance photos by Stuart Ruckman

This project is commissioned in part by the American Dance Festival (ADF).

Logo design by Chris Cherry