Restrepo and Delieuvin began The Body College in 1997 with an experimental group in Cartagena, a city where three of every five people live on less than two dollars per day. The city's people, impoverished and uprooted as a result of Colombia's violent conflicts, face gangs, rising murder rates, failing economic prospects, and underfunded educational institutions. But Restrepo thinks that contemporary dance can help change things.

A New Ethics of the Body

The Body College, according to Restrepo, "is not simply concerned with 'the creative utilization of free time.'" Instead, The Body College's mission is to create a new "ethics of the body," which will give Colombians "renewed comprehension of the body as an essential element of the human condition" (Restrepo).

Restrepo's idea for a "new ethics of the body" stems from his belief that the long history of violence in Colombia has affected the way that Colombians view their own bodies. The Spanish introduction to The Body College's website explains that Colombians see each other as "'perversely disposable', assassinable" (El Colegio Del Cuerpo).

Violence has caused Colombians to devalue the human body, Restrepo feels. And because of this, Colombians have lost their own sense of self-worth. They no longer appreciate the full dignity of human life. To reverse this effect, Restrepo wants to teach Colombians, through contemporary dance, how to reconnect, constructively and respectfully, with their own bodies.

"In Colombia, how many of us have passed through the instruction of a physical education teacher (in many cases a retired military man) who instilled in us the notion that the only way to communicate with our own body and to discipline it was through corporal punishment, press-ups and endless runs around the football pitch?"(--Alvaro Restrepo, in "The College of the Body")

What Restrepo means to accomplish is summarized by his partner Delieuvin in "The Body School," a documentary short by a filmmaker who goes by the name "manuelrda." In this video, Delieuvin explains how a connection with one's own body and senses creates in that person a respect for the bodies and senses of other people. "We don’t only teach the body in a scientific way, but also through a more sensible way," she says.

"A person who takes care of herself, who knows herself, doesn't react violently toward others, because her self-respect allows her to feel equal to another person. You're not going to kill someone if you're aware of the sacred value of each person." (--Marie-France Delieuvin, from The Body School)

Restrepo and Delieuvin feel that contemporary dance will bring a new sense of awareness to Colombians--an awareness of their own bodies and their own self-worth--that will make violence seem like a less-appealing tool.

The Road Home

Restrepo began his life in Cartagena, but he learned dance in New York City, and he earned recognition in Europe. After making a name for himself as a contemporary dance professional, Restrepo returned to Colombia, fully-aware of the fact that contemporary dance was unknown in that country. Backed by his partner Delieuvin, who was serving as program director at the National Centre for Modern Dance in Angers, France, Restrepo set out to change Colombia through contemporary dance.

Introducing Contemporary Dance to Colombia

The first students of The Body College were 22 children who, of 480 initial applicants, demonstrated the discipline and desire that Restrepo and Delieuvin demanded of their students.

Within four years, these dancers--who practiced every day in the borrowed space of a 16th-century convent--had staged two arts festivals in Cartagena and had presented three of the school's own shows. They had also traveled to festivals within Colombia and in Europe, including one in Paris. Many of their initial projects were funded with help from The World Bank.

Since 1997, The Body College's numerous programs have produced professional dancers and dance teachers. And, according to Restrepo's plan, The Body College is also working to create an educated, critical audience within Cartagena, an audience that can help The Body College's dancers uphold their standards.

Keeping Dance in Colombia

Today, Restrepo's dream of changing Colombia through contemporary dance is being carried through to his students. In "The Body School," student Eduard Martinez echoed Restrepo's understanding of The Body College's purpose.

"To live from this [dance] in Colombia is very hard. But...that's the challenge," he said. "This is not about training dancers so they find a job outside Colombia. What we want is for contemporary dance to evolve in Colombia."

Saving Artists

Restrepo and Delieuvin have already saved many children with contemporary dance.

Through The Body College, they have put children into free classes where they could develop a vocation and a purpose. And through the school's community programs, such as "Mi Cuerpo: Mi Casa" ("My Body: My House")--funded by La Red de Solidaridad Social ("The Network of Social Solidarity")--contemporary dance offers emotional healing and the realization of self-worth to Colombians who have been displaced by armed conflict. Many Colombians, Restrepo knows, possess little more than their own bodies. He wants to teach, through dance, that even if they have nothing else, their bodies are still "the house of their soul and their human dignity" (Restrepo).

Restrepo, Delieuvin, and their dancers still have a great deal of work to do. As the introduction to The Body College's website states, in Colombia "the body of the man has lost its sacred dimension." But, by teaching contemporary dance as an avenue to self-respect, Restrepo and Delieuvin hope to choreograph a peaceful movement that will be led by a new generation of dancers.

For more information and more photos, see this original post on DanceHere, and check out our sources:
• "El Colegio Del Cuerpo de Cartagena de Indias"
• "The Body School" a documentary short by "manuelrda"
• "Colombian Dance School Saves Lives" by Juan Forero of National Public Radio's All Things Considered
• Restrepo, Álvaro. "The College of the Body / El Colegio Del Cuerpo."
• "A Pirouette Around Poverty" from UNESCO's Courier

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