The fact Mercedes máis eu started life as a collection of improvisatory encounters comes as no surprise. There is an intangible connection between dancer Janet Novás and musician Mercedes Peón, an invisible thread that binds the two women together. Novás dances and sings, Peón plays (a range of instruments from drums to amplified bagpipes) and the resulting exchange is part artistry, part homage to the sisterhood.
Whether this display constitutes a ‘show’ is a matter for debate, but Novás and Peón are clearly living their best life up on stage – and it’s intoxicating. The dynamism of Novás’ movement, driven from the hips and with an almost childlike spring in her step, demands our attention. Peón’s musicianship is similarly compelling, with sounds looped and layered, blending into each other like molten lava. But without a distinct framework, the moments in between these bursts of energy leave us longing for a dramaturg to tighten the strings.
Kelly Apter
In pop culture Shakira sings that her hips don’t lie, but in the performance Mercedes máis eu hips make a full-on power statement. Together with Janet Novás performing free-spirited dance sequences, composer Mercedes Peón creates intricate modern electro-drum beats mixed and matched with ancient pipes.
The women’s inextinguishable energy is almost ritualistic – whipping hair, dancing on soil, collecting sounds from different sources. By themselves, the component parts work – but as a whole there is too big a gap between artists. The composer creates what could be the structure of the performance, but it’s the dancing that catches the eye. Novás’ body gives the audience immeasurable force, telling a story that represents her fellow women.
Peón is a brilliant composer and there is no doubting her ability, however the music has too many elements, is too loud, and is not equal to the movement. But it is a true privilege to see two mature women creating together in a dance context.
Dmitrijus Andrušanecas
How can a dance performance feel more like a rock concert? Mercedes máis eu fits the bill perfectly. High-energy movement and live sound collide as dancer Janet Novás and musician Mercedes Peón share the space, connecting hard and fast with the audience.
This doesn’t feel like traditional witnessing – both performers address us directly, playful and genuine, folding us into their celebration.The dance is satisfying, though certain motifs – hairography and hip-driven movements – return frequently. The relationship between dancer and musician feels natural and easy. Many moments spark with the excitement of first ideas, and I found myself curious about what might emerge if these were pushed even further. How might negotiating space, rhythm, and dramaturgical tension reveal even deeper layers of connection – or rupture?
Even so, the warmth of their artistic bond lingers long after the final note fades.