Maria de los Guardias (Sep 7th 2025 - El Armario, Brooklyn, NY)

Maria de los Guardias is a visual artist and filmmaker from Bogota, Colombia who brought her intriguing and fascinating performance Oda Al Cuerpe Humano (Ode To The Human Body) and virtual reality experience Del Páramo El Mar (From The Moor to the Sea) to El Armario in Brooklyn.

As we sat and enjoyed non-alcoholic craft cocktails and delicious Latin American food from new concept La Sobria (see lasobria.nyc on Instagram) Maria invited us to don a virtual reality headset and enter a peaceful woodland environment where we were surrounded by 6 different characters each moving and communicating with each other on a celebration of the human body. Each character wore a different costume with headdress and body piece complimenting the flowing movements and artistic expressions on display.

Once the experience ended we were transported back to the cosy and sumptuous surroundings of El Armario where the costumes were on display and we were invited to get involved and try on any pieces we liked. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience to wear the costumes alongside other members of the audience in a safe and friendly environment, together feeling free to explore how each costume fitted the body.

We were then treated to a performance by Maria herself, bringing another dimension to the experience with an interpretive dance and movement that was both fascinating and enchanting to observe.

After her short visit to New York, Maria is heading to Europe for a series of performances. You can follow her on Instagram (guardiasmaria) to see more of her amazing work.

El Armario is a beautifully alternative art space in Brooklyn which hosts a variety of events and productions throughout the year. For more information follow el.armario.nyc on Instagram.

We’re giving this 4 / 5 Ds (D D D D)

Comments

Debajo del Árbol de Almendras / Under the Almond Tree (Jan 16th 2026 - Teatro Círculo, NYC)

After a fascinating introduction from Founding Artistic Director, José Cheo Oliveras telling the story of how Teatro Círculo was established with the incredible support of Councilmember Margarita López (who happened to be in the audience) we were ready for the opening night performance of their latest show. An almond tree, made up of a dry 3D skeleton with some moss attached and four tree stumps around the stage. This was the setting that housed today’s three stories. Mental illnesses will always be crucial subjects that concern us, and it is vital to put them on stage; and so it was. Raw, rough, literal. Perhaps we could go further, approaching these delicate topics through poetry, conventions, and theatricality, and thus achieve openness and, why not, a deeper understanding of them. Watching this play, I am reminded of my teacher and recall him saying, “We already know the butterfly has wings so you don’t need to show them.” Very well played by the performers (César Cova, Bill O...

The Adventures of Beastie (Jan 10th 2026 - PhysFest NYC, Stella Adler Studio, Manhattan, NYC)

Tasks are exercises, usually simple instructions to carry out an activity and the task must be fulfilled; you have to do your duty and do it well. While I was waiting to enter the show, I was given a simple task: to write something positive about myself on one piece of paper and something negative on another. It was easy to write the positive, though I did so without much certainty that I truly was what I wrote on the paper; it felt more like an invitation to become it. Writing the next one, describing oneself negatively, was a bit more challenging. In the end, I did it after some self-scrutiny. It’s like a battle of concepts between self-love and the principle of acceptance. As we went in, took our seats, and waited for the show to begin, I kept looking and thinking about that simple activity, which seemed to occupy my thoughts, somewhere between doubt and pride. The empty space: an actor lying on the floor, asleep under a spotlight. On his face, a smile; on his body, lightly warm clo...

A Drag is Born (July 20th 2025 - The Tank, NYC)

Through comedy, mime and music Edu Diaz tackles complex themes of personal doubt and hiding your real self in a society where you often feel you have to act like everyone else to fit in. Shining lights, colorful costumes, lots of hair (…body hair!) and a healthy dose of lip sync brings together the story of “The Hairy Godmother”. This masterpiece is an act of resilience, born in a dark place but fills the theatre with love, freedom and happiness as we observe the metamorphosis of a shy, quiet, straight acting, everyday guy transforming into a sparkling diva. This joyful rollercoaster of emotions takes us on a whirlwind tour of masterful physical comedy, making us laugh and cry in equal measures. With a really clever beginning, Edu makes the audience a genuine part of the show, building compassion and empathy that evolves into fanaticism as we witness the birth of a star! Edu’s amazing show started life as a 5 minute sketch, developed into this wonderful 1 hour show that after a success...

The Daniels Review

Search This Blog