Guatemala
RESIDENCY RECAP
On November 25th to December 9th, 2018, Hip Hop artists Kareem “Bboy Kareem” Gwinn (Dancer), Laleyna “Amore Querida” Gomez (DJ), David “Chino BYI” Villorente (Aerosol Artist), and Angelique “Giddy” Perez (MC) traveled to Guatemala as part of the Next Level program. The artists joined site manager Kane Smego to hold workshops, cross-cultural collaborations, and performances. Next Level’s Guatemala residency began with two days of breakdancing, graffiti, emceeing/rapping, and DJing workshops in the Lake Atitlán community of San Marcos La Laguna. The two days of intensive workshops culminated in a concert in the town center and included performances from youth student-collaborators representing the Mayan cultural/linguistic communities of Tz’utujil, Kakchiqel, and Quiché. The Next Level artists then conducted seven days of workshops and one day of master classes and presentations in Villa Nueva, Guatemala. During Chino BYI’s master class with local aerosol artists, several of these artists spoke about the ways in which his work as the creator and longtime editor of Source Magazine’s aerosol column had inspired them to become artists themselves.
The final concert featured performances from artist-educators and student-collaborators, the presentation of a mural made by aerosol workshop participants, and a live mural painting from one of the San Marcos student-collaborators. Next Level’s Guatemala is part of a larger Next Level cohort of American MCs, DJs, beat makers, and Hip Hop dancers who seek to build global community through Hip Hop culture.
