Danza Orgánica | Artist
Claudia Elena Varela (she/her/hers) was born and raised in Reynosa, Mexico. She holds a Dance B.A. and a Bioengineering B.S. from the University of California San Diego. Her choreographic thesis work focused on deconstructing and reembodying aspects of her identity to bring awareness to contemporary societal issues in Mexico including the drug violence affecting her hometown (Ayotzinapa), and immigration. Claudia joined Danza Orgánica in 2017 to continue using dance to process embodied and witnessed social issues and advocate for social justice. As a company member, she has performed and been involved in the creative process leading to Danza Orgánica’s repertoire pieces Melaza I and Melaza II: Weaving Stories, Vessel, and Love. Claudia is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Medical Engineering in the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. She is an aspiring professor and a fierce STEAM diversity advocate.