On Jan. 17, dance company DIAVOLO Architecture in Motion and The Soraya will present the world premiere of “Existencia.” This new work commemorates the 30 years since the Northridge Earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley and CSUN — among the worst natural disasters to ever to hit a university campus in the United States.

“Existencia” is an exploration of human resilience, utilizing dance, aerial movement, music and architectural design to share emotional themes and an uplifting story about disaster — and the human response.

The performance will include collapsing towers, skateboard ramps and aerial choreography by Amelia Rudolph, whose dance company BANDALOOP, is well known for its vertical performances on buildings, cliffs and walls.

The Soraya’s Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber commissioned DIAVOLO to create the work. It is the sixth collaboration between Steingraber and DIAVOLO founder Jacques Heim. The show also features the cast of DIAVOLO performers, original musical score by and live stage performance by Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer Antonio Sánchez and his wife, Grammy Award nominee vocalist Thana Alexa.

There are two world premiere performances: Wednesday, Jan. 17 and Friday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased at The Soraya.

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