Con Brazos Abiertos, photographed by Paula Lobo. Courtesy of Ballet Hispánico.
As the United States of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the country contemplates its history. One of these contemplations is Declaring America, a major, multi-gallery exhibition at the New York Public Library—an exhibition where choreographer (and University of Utah School of Dance MFA candidate) Michelle Manzanales’ work is featured.
Michelle Manzanales. Photo by Todd Collins.In the culminating gallery, titled “Art as Declaration,” Manzanales’ choreographic work Con Brazos Abiertos (With Open Arms) is on display, one of four dance choreographies featured in the exhibit. With this achievement, Manzanales reflected on her work, and how it addresses the questions and promises of the Declaration of Independence.
Originally conceived at the 2015 Ballet Hispánico Instituto Coreográfico, Manzanales was then commissioned by Ballet Hispánico of New York to fully realize the work, which premiered at the Joyce Theater in 2017. Marina Harss of The New York Times said the piece “savvy but deeply sincere meditation on [Manzanales’] Mexican American background,” and Laura Bleiberg of the Los Angeles Times called it “an exceptional, heart-tugging beauty.”
“The work emerged from my desire to investigate and celebrate the complexity of Mexican American identity and to honor the experiences of those who live between cultures,” said Manzanales. “As a Chicana raised in Texas, I was interested in exploring the intersections of heritage, memory, family, and belonging through movement rather than relying on stereotypes often associated with Latinx identity.”
Manzanales utilized a wide range of movement in her choreography, from ballet, to folkloric dance, to social dance, to “the gestures and rituals that shaped my upbringing,” she said. She worked closely with the dancers and encouraged them to share their own memories and experiences. What resulted is dance work that is deeply celebratory but also “a raw sharing of love, openness, and shared humanity.”
Con Brazos Alierto, photographed by Paula Lobo. Photo courtesy of Ballet Hispánico.Now, the filmed version Con Brazos Abiertos is on display in the New York Public Library (NYPL), where the artwork is sharing its vision of American life. “It is an incredible honor to have Con Brazos Abiertos included at the New York Public Library,” said Manzanales. “Dance is such an ephemeral art form. Once a performance ends, what remains are the memories and the impact it leaves on those who experienced it. To have Con Brazos Abiertos represented in this exhibition ensures that its story—and the stories of the communities that inspired it—continue to be seen and valued. It is especially meaningful to see Chicana and Latinx narratives recognized as an essential part of the American artistic landscape.”
Curator Julia Golia, the Linda May Uris Director of Humanities and Social Sciences Research Library at NYPL, wrote that “Art as Declaration” was curated with several questions in mind: “What did the Declaration of Independence promise, and what did it leave unfinished? And how have artists reframed and reimagined those promises, 250 years later?”
“The Declaration speaks of equality, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, yet the history of the United States reveals that these promises have not been experienced equally by all communities,” said Manzanales. She continued by saying that the piece “centers the experiences of Mexican Americans and celebrates lives that have often been overlooked within dominant historical narratives. It suggests that America's greatest promise lies not in assimilation, but in embracing the richness of its many cultures with open arms.”
Con Brazos Alierto, photographed by Paula Lobo. Photo courtesy of Ballet Hispánico.Critic Blake Gopnik wrote in The New York Times that while the pieces included in the exhibit could be read as a critique of whether or not the United States has delivered on the promise of the Declaration, the artworks “almost always come closer to demonstration than polemic, to showing than telling — the way the Declaration of Independence asserts that we are all ‘created equal,’ instead of setting out to argue the point.”
Manzanales, similarly, invites viewers to be curious, and hopes that through her work they see the diversity and richness of American society. “The work reminds us that culture is not static; it is constantly evolving through memory, migration, family, and community,” she said. “I hope audiences leave with a greater appreciation for the beauty found in hybridity and for the ways dance can communicate histories, emotions, and experiences that words sometimes cannot. Ultimately, I hope people feel a sense of connection.”
Declaring America will be on display at the NYPL through January 10, 2027, and is free and open to the public. You can view a preview of Con Brazos Abiertos here.
Con Brazos Alierto, photographed by Paula Lobo. Photo courtesy of Ballet Hispánico.