Two local independent choreographers will present genre-defying dance proposals at WIP on Monday, March 2, 2026 at the Wende Museum. WIP 021 features works in progress by Adam Kerbel & Santiago Villarreal followed by a post-show talk back moderated by
WIP alum Daria Kaufman.
The format is simple: each WIP features two artists sharing up to 25 minutes of work-in-progress, followed by a moderated post-show conversation.
Doors open at 7:00, Performances are 7:30 to 9:30 PM with intermission.
Tickets and parking are free with RSVP.
The risk-taking pieces will take unconventional approaches to dance that turn empathy and play into political tools in a challenge to formal standards: “living/edge” by Adam Kerbel presents dance-theater with a live score by Joshua Cabitac that embraces loss, memory, and renewal in the wake of his mom’s recent passing and the LA fires. “heavy waiting” by Santiago Villarreal presents
a partnered duet with Donny Collinson that physicalizes trust, dependency, and protection in the midst of ICE detainments and imbalance.
“Play is political,” Kerbel explains. His presentation emerged as a reaction to the LA wildfires of January 2025. “I spent a lot of time on the phone while things unfolded. I was listening, but felt like I was missing it.” The unexpected loss of his mother this past December caused Kerbel to braid both experiences into an examination of presence, memory, and failure in motion. Villarreal takes an alternate approach, positioning the “weight” of ICE threats into the actions of partnership. Using direct contact, balance, and momentum, “heavy waiting” places viewers on edge in order to connect.
Both offerings meet the audience through acts of tenderness that soften the male gaze and recontextualize the relationship between presence and disappearance through dances rooted deeply in states of play. Kerbel summarizes, “We choose to center play because we know what it can do. It sparks wonder and a sense of community, which may be healing, too.”
WIP is an artist-led, work-in-progress performance platform co-founded by dance artists Kate Wallich, Stephanie Zaletel, and Belize Wilheim. Launched in 2023, WIP was created to give choreographers and performance makers a “low-tech, high-visibility” space to share evolving works with audiences, fostering curiosity, dialogue, and critical exchange at every stage of development.
Monday, March 2, 2026 Time: 7:30 – 9:30 PM.
Doors open at 7:00 PM.
The Wende Museum, 10808 Culver Blvd, Culver City
Free on-site parking.
Free with RSVP — https://wendemuseum.org/event/wip-021/
More info on the organization’s website: wipla.info
Content note: Open to general audiences with mature themes.
