As the balmy late-afternoon sun shines through the glass windowpanes of the old gymnasium, thirteen SFSU dance students shuffle back and forth across the floor, attempting to perfect various turns, jumps and steps. Many look up at the ceiling while going over the sequences, as if some higher power will help
them remember the precise combinations. Every so often, a dancer will take a break to quickly stretch, wiping the perspiration from their furrowed brows.

“We’ve been rehearsing this same phrase for forty-five minutes,“ says a voice from the front of the room. “I want to finally finish this.”

The voice comes from a man with a youthful face and a trendy faux hawk. Dressed casually in an American Eagle T-shirt and athletic pants, the man’s comfortable outfit contrasts with his demeanor. He provides praise when the dancers perform his intricate steps correctly, beaming as they jump, turn and lunge in time with the music. But when they hit a wall, he searches to figure out why they are having difficulties.

Stationed next to the music box, the taskmaster observes his lethargic troops. Though he is only average height, his presence is known and felt by the dancers. They watch him as he paces the front of the room, prepping themselves for the next set of instructions.

When the man sees that everyone is ready, he calls another run-through of the section, hoping to see improvements. As he starts up the music, he looks over the whole group, looking for the picture that will make his movement whole.

The twinkling Latin music fills the room, seeming more appropriate for margarita night at Chevy’s than for a dance rehearsal. The dancers nod their head to the beat in anticipation; the wheels are spinning in their head as they attempt to remember their numerous corrections. After a few moments, a section of male and female dancers enter from the back of the room, turning and jumping in whirling, rhythmic chaos.

“Nice, everyone in the back,” says the man, finally praising their efforts. “This group is now starting to look like everyone running through the streets of the Mission.”

Joel Valentin-Martinez has been recalling many memories of San Francisco lately; people hustling through San Francisco’s Mission District being one of them. The former professional dancer and SFSU alum has been itching to create a piece of work that will explore the experiences of migrant workers from his native Mexico.

“After dancing professionally for many years, I want to explore more cultural forms,” says Martinez. “A lot of things are creeping in my mind.”

The proud Gator’s dream is coming true with the help of San Francisco State’s dance department. While visiting the campus last spring, he crossed paths with former dance instructor and advisor Dr. Albirda Rose. Dr. Rose asked Valentin-Martinez if he would be interested in setting a piece for the school’s dance company. Joel agreed, and the Northwestern lecturer came out from Chicago for two weeks in September to set a piece on the school’s University Dance Theatre.

The thirteen-minute piece, “Brazos y abrazos”- Arms and Embraces- is a fusion of modern and contemporary choreography, paired with both Mexican folk and West African movement. Martinez chose to use the retro-sounding music of “The Latin Playboys,” an avant-garde experimental roots music group. The choreography challenges the dancers with grounded African movement, juxtaposed with the playfulness of the folk forms and the technicalities of ballet and modern dance.

Valentin-Martinez’s goals as a choreographer are to create an entertaining yet engaging storyline. He’s been reading up on the history of immigrant workers from Mexico in order to craft a work of movement that reflects the struggles and triumphs of the millions of laborers who were brought into the United States workforce during the 1940s and ‘50s. Drawing inspiration from music, literature and his experiences growing up in the Bay Area’s melting pot, Martinez hopes to choreograph a work of movement that will portray his connection to his Hispanic heritage. Chicano artist Frank Romero’s colorful painting “The Arrest of the Paleteros” and Leonard Nadel’s photographs of field workers have served as inspiration for Valentin-Martinez’s work.

“I feel like I have a personal connection to these historic moments,” says Valentin-Martinez before a Thursday afternoon rehearsal.

“It kicks me in the face, and I ask, ‘Can I make it move? Can I make a dance with this?’”

Valentin-Martinez is thrilled to be back on “home turf,” having studied at the school’s dance department for two years before he was spotted by modern dancer Garth Fagan at the age of nineteen. He joined Fagan’s New York-based company and spent twelve years dancing professionally. Fagan’s intense choreography process introduced Joel to the idea of gleaning movement ideas from the visual arts. When the company toured, Martinez and fellow dancers had the opportunity to look at famous artwork in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Australia.

“Joel got in the right company,” says Dr. Rose. “Garth Fagan’s company nurtures their dancers. Joel didn’t know they were checking with me throughout this process.”

He is grateful to the Bay Area, particularly San Francisco State, for giving him an appreciation for all dance forms. According to Valentin-Martinez, San Francisco State’s students posses an “eclectic movement vocabulary.” African, modern, contemporary and ballet classes collide, giving students the unique opportunity to gracefully pirouette in ballet as well as jam to the powerful drum beats in a Haitian class.

“The most rewarding part of this process is taking the time to find the creative spots,” says Valentin-Martinez. “Having the lovely dancers at San Francisco State who are open is truly an enriching experience.”

In rehearsal, Valentin-Martinez quickly transitions from disgruntled choreographer to dancer, demonstrating his versatility in both classical technique and ethnic forms. “Take your ballet class,” he says as he demonstrates a quick turning jump, his feet barely skimming the wood floor. Valentin-Martinez demands a lot from his dancers, realizing that many of them have not yet to encounter such stylized choreography. Dancer Samantha Ray feels the most difficult part of the piece is the intricate timing of the movements, particularly staying in unison with the other dancers. Students are expected to retain and polish the piece for performance in the spring of 2009.

Those close to Valentin-Martinez are proud to see him bring his own ideas to the stage. During the two-week rehearsal stint in California, he invited many old friends to watch the progress of his new work. Former Garth Fagan company member Sharlene Shu swells with pride as she talks about Valentin-Martinez, noticing that he’s picked up choreographic tips from their previous director.

“It’s been great to see Joel go from a performing aspect to a choreographic aspect,” says Shu. “It’s nice to see him find his identity as a choreographer and teacher.”