Leading with Purpose: Miguel Perez Expands the Scene

To kick off our upcoming series of Conflux dancer profiles, we first turn to the man who makes it happen. Artistic Director Miguel Perez shares his story of how Conflux began and how important representation is in the dance community.

Landing in Richmond, Virginia after years of an impressive career of concert and commercial dance, Miguel noticed a gap in the local dance community. “I started looking around at audiences and at the dancers on stage, and I felt like I didn’t see anyone who looked like me on stage,” he said. “I didn’t see people who look like me in the audience, and I felt like it wasn’t very representative of Richmond as a whole.” Miguel craved a diverse company that was dedicated to contemporary dance and lifting up its dancers. 

In 2019, Miguel started work to bring his non-profit dance company to life. Progress was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a year later the Conflux vision was beginning to take shape. Miguel put out fliers, met with dancers and held auditions to create the first Conflux Dance Theater company. 

“I started to realize that there were a lot of dancers here that were transplants, who moved from other cities, whether they’re partners or they ended up here,” Miguel said. “There were a lot of professional dancers, but there wasn’t a lot of space for them to perform.” Miguel was humbled and inspired by the talent that he attracted. The company is comprised of dancers from a wide range of backgrounds, ages, and motivations including moms who gave up their careers to have kids, dancers who now have other jobs, and more. “In our industry when you become a mom, you have a baby, they’re looking at you like, ‘Okay, well, it’s time for you to retire.’ Or you get, you get a certain age, and they’re like, ‘Okay, well, now it’s time to retire,’ and we wanted to break those molds,” said Miguel. 

However different they may be, each individual still has a passion for dance and a willingness to grow.

Since its inception, Conflux has operated with three pillars: performance, pay it forward, and community. The company performs at various events throughout the year, most recently showcasing their talents at the ¿Qué Pasa? Festival on Brown’s Island. Conflux also partners with local organizations like NAMI, Side by Side and Habitat for Humanity. As for community, Conflux hosts free dance classes on Sunday mornings in a wide range of styles. “I love the fact that we have college kids to 70 or 80 year olds who have come. We have people who danced before, who are professional dancers, who still have a passion for dance,” Miguel said.

We can’t wait to celebrate Miguel and the dancers with a day full of movement and community. The classes will be donation-based and you can reserve your spot online. We look forward to seeing you there!