PRESS QUOTES
2024
"Lenzu takes great risks in this profoundly original, tour de force work, revealing her own body, semi nude, in awkward, sometimes sexual displays; while simultaneously voicing the struggles, deep loneliness, and pleasures that often accompany the labors of creation in motherhood and artwork." Mary Seidman/ Eye on Dance
“Her approach to this work, an interdisciplinary piece of dance theater, has pulled from her dance training and research, the way she straddles being a mother, an immigrant, and an artist, and how she seeks to form community with others who share these identities.” Emilee Lord/ ThINKingDance
2023
“Every immigrant has a story. Anabella Lenzu’s is an epic of adventure, exile and return; a self-styled "feminist rant," and something like Walt Whitman’s "Song of Myself" by a simple separate soul that yet utters the word "democratic." Dancer, choreographer, actor, teacher, author, filmmaker, wife and mother — like Whitman she is large, she contains multitudes.” The Dance Enthusiast/Tom Phillips
“The wonder is that women artists are outdoing men today -- and Lenzu is among them…Listen to Your Mother, a feminist rant about the problems of being an artist and a mother -- an impossible combination of callings. It's almost too much to bear -- but Lenzu bears it, so we have no way out.
Lenzu... talks to us grownups about what makes a good artist, and what makes a good parent. It's the same thing, of course: love, and the instinct to give it away, to communicate." OccupytheArts/Tom Phillips
2022
“Anabella Lenzu’s “The night that you stopped acting” was a gift to us, but also to herself . . . whoever that self may be.
Questions of identity simmered throughout, but mixed with the simple, nerve wracking questions of being a performer.
Lenzu was crazy like a fox...there was a plan in looking unplanned.... the transformation was brilliant and perfectly timed.” The DanceLog/ Leigh Witchel
"Pieces like Anabella Lenzu's 2018 No More Beautiful Dances- a short piece that explores the complexities of a changing body (i.e., Lenzu represents a body politic out-
side of the norm in concert dance as a full-figured woman), the experience of giving birth, and immigration all at once in both Spanish and English- show us that screendance supports women in our pursuit of being represented in ways that are real and important to us." from the book "Screendance from Film to Festival" by Cara Hagan, Chapter: Gender in Screendance-Where Women are Concerned
2021
"What dominates, though, is her self-satisfied persona, which bursts out in wagging eyebrows and crazed smirks. The video seems inadvertently to be the portrait of someone who can’t stop acting. Is this a response to the times or is she always like this?" New York Times/ Brian Seibert
“Even if you are eager to return to live performances, and are tired of watching dance at home on your computer, you might want to consider taking in one more virtual dance event, especially if you are a fan of Anabella Lenzu. An enthralling performer, whose autobiographical dance-theatre solos never fail to provoke, Lenzu proves just as captivating virtually as she is in person. Lenzu’s two most appealing traits as a performer are her willingness to boldly expose her inner landscape and her constant acknowledgment of the important presence of her audience. Surprisingly, in this virtual, filmed in black-and-white, text-driven work, perhaps best described as a monologue-with-movement, both of these qualities register as forcefully as they do onstage” The Dance Enthusiast/ Lisa Jo Sagolla
"Anabella Lenzu's piece is also just one shot in one take from a stationary camera, but it is a half-hour tour de force…Lenzu is a rubber-faced comic with eyes full of mischief” Danceviewtimes/Tom Phillips
“Lenzu works with a lot of closeups: the camera is a magnifying glass. The videos capture capsules of time that are precious.” New York Theatre Wire/ Barney Yates
"An engaging storyteller, Lenzu manipulates movement, spoken word, music, video projections, and props, to take us on a tour of her life as a performer. She speaks to us directly as if we are old friends, sharing personal perspectives that touch on the universal.” “The candid humor evident on her face, in herraised eyebrows, and her self-satisfied smirks daresus to challenge her identity. Raising a wine glass full of water to the camera, she laughs, " I am an artist and this is me.” The Dance Enthusiast/Cecly Placenti
"Out of the Folds of Women (Dance Film), immediately confronts the perception of the viewer...is an urgent cry speaking through the screen and into the silence of our own still-quarantined bodies at home." ARTS INDEPENDENT/ Brendan McCall
"Anima Animus is a text heavy film with lines such as, "We have an audience. We have to entertain," still resonating with me. Based on the dialogue, I first thought this was a statement on the commodification of dance, driving away experimental and provocative works that Lenzu seems to be engaging with.” ThinkingDance / Annielille "Ani" Gavino
“Anabella Lenzu stuck out to me for her level of honesty and exactitude in movement, framing, and composition." ThinkingDance /Emilee Lord
"Lenzu’s movements become a campy exorcism of technique and mastery. She resists ballet’s external control by controlling—and losing control of—herself, on her own terms." Culturebot/Dot Amstrong from from LUCKY START Theater Production at The Exponential festival, NYC
2020
"Beautiful performer." New York Theatre Wire/ Barney Yates
“Anabella Lenzu bravely charts new paths for the body as feminist vessel with courage and fierce intelligence.” Nicky Paraiso, Curator: La MaMa Moves!
“Her commitment to teaching dance and creating choreography has always been strong, as evidenced by her 30 years of work in Argentina, Chile, Italy, and the United States. With this unique background, she positions herself not only in the world of teaching, but also in the creative space where multiple cultures coexist.“ Campadidanza Dance Magazine, Italy
2019
"Lenzu steals the show with her performance." Thinking Theater NYC/ Joseph Donica from VIRGO START Theater Production at La Mama, NYC
"Anabella Lenzu brought the flamenco, the stamping and the seduction." Stage Biz/ Jacquelyn Clairefrom from VIRGO START Theater Production at La Mama, NYC
2018
"Whether investigating the immigrant experience, the legend of Mithras, stereotypical roles of Latin women or, in tonight’s case, her life, Anabella Lenzu delves into her subject matter with unabashed commitment. She wants us to experience the meat and gristle of things." "Such personal material could read as self-indulgent in less competent hands, but Lenzu’s expert performance rivets us. Her story hits on our universal challenge: facing (and dealing with) life’s transitions." Dance Enthusiast/ Christine Jowers
"Anabella Lenzu is an incredibly gracious performer. She redefines nationalistic isolationism as bodily agency. The notion of selflessness as presence is as evident in her process as it is to her roles as dancer and mother alike." EYE ON THE ARTS/ Jonathan Matthews
"What I most appreciate about Anabella Lenzu is how fully she inhabits the moment. She's all there, a force of self-determination, and that serves her well in her vivid new solo, No more beautiful dances" "Lenzu aims to stay honest... with the audience as witness, she desires to serve, too, as her own outside eye." InfinityBody/Eva Yaa Asantewaa
"Anabella Lenzu’s dance film “No more beautiful dances” centered on her changing body, and on her identity as a dancer during pregnancy and childbirth. The film employed quick cuts of close-ups on her belly and thighs, lip smacks and oral sounds, bilingualism, and narrative elements to portray maternity’s bodily and emotional transformations that are, at times, disgusting, but ultimately redemptive” Sandra Olsen from Austin Dance Festival, USA
2017
”Mata Hari fell silent, and the music and dance become her voice as the nun soars Mata Hari’s final moments of pensive choreography.” “Dance helped to focus and drive the music-theater; the piece’s most dramatic moments were choreographed dialogue underscored by a loud, frantic band. The dance numbers provided visceral illustrations of how men dominated her body and gave Marks a chance to explore tango, waltz, and rock ballade…..the evolution of her dance from exuberance to male domination to self-possession was a strong and interesting theatrical choice. The show excelled at peeling away layers of myth to get at basic humanity, afforded the famous heroine dignity beyond an expose, and showed the possibilities of opera-theater ripe for exploration.” LANA NORRIS /icareifyoulisten.com, from MataHari opera at Prototype Festival NYC
"Several dance-based numbers that nicely evoked the seductions at the core of the story... Anabella Lenzu’s choreography, created an intriguing dreamscape." - Wall Street Journal, from Mata Hari opera at Prototype Festival NYC
"Choreographer Anabella Lenzu stages a sadomasochistic foxtrot for this passage that makes it the most memorable part of the show." Zachary Stewart/Off-Broadway, from MataHari opera at Prototype Festival NYC
"Anabella Lenzu’s choreography in perfect pacing with the intensity of the story." Harry Rolnick/concertonet.com, from MataHari opera at Prototype Festival NYC
2016
“Anabella Lenzu presented excerpts from her work of the ten years of her New York-based company, there was a love-fest among critics. We couldn’t help ourselves. We burst with the joy of having seen and experienced stirring, intelligent artistry. “ Attitude: The Dancers’ Magazine . Article by Madeleine L. Dale
“..Her choreography’s dynamism is fueled by a revolving door of intensity, self-awareness, melodrama, and/or ritual. This holds true whether the movement is more theatric-based, modern, folk-inspired, or a fusion of many forms.” DanceEnthusiast article by Jenny Thompson
“Lenzu has been described as an “Argentine firecracker” which nicely sums up her large, passionate nature as well as her intense commitment to the creative process. She has developed a beautifully integrated approach to dance and theater which will continue to serve her and her fine company going forward.” New York Arts article by Mari Gold
"One of Ms. Lenzu’s major concerns is the expression of emotion, a welcome change from much current choreography." http://theaterscene.com/LENZU.html
"[Unveiling Motion and Emotion]..worth a read for anyone interested in dance or just wanting to explore the creative process involved in working on anything artistic." "Reading about Lenzu's experiences … make me appreciate dance in a new way. " Adventures of a LitGirl/ Lauren Wood
“[Unveiling Motion and Emotion] is a book through which shines all of the author’s passion for dance, and which recounts the experiences, readings, places and people that have influenced her path. This path could not have been different from what it has been and continues to be: a life of dance, by dance. Dance is not only technical, but the way in which we become aware of ourselves and how we express ourselves and connect with people. A sincere book.” - Nicola Campanelli / Campadidanza, Italy
“[Unveiling Motion and Emotion] written in English and Spanish, is an effective and direct means of dispensing useful advice to students and aspiring teachers through the story of a teacher with 20 years of experience. This book establishes many innovative ideas.” - Leonilde Zuccari / Giornale della danza, Italy
“[Unveiling Motion and Emotion] traces Anabella’s engaged and important choreographic work, and mirrors her way of approaching society and life. The repertoire created by the Argentinean choreographer is rich and varied; it tackles several themes of universal nature.” - Leonilde Zuccari / Giornale della danza, Italy
“This book [Unveiling Motion and Emotion] is very helpful for other people trying to do the same thing but who may be 10 or 20 years behind you.” – Shannon O’Brien / CultureBot, USA
“Anabella Lenzu’s book Unveiling Motion and Emotion offers memories, wisdom, and advice collected from over 20 years of teaching dance.” - Shannon O’Brien /CultureBot, USA
2015
“[In Pursuit of Happiness] is the question of what happens when you die, what is memory, how one tries to build the image that is no longer, but with a certain universality.” - Diario Ambito Financiero, Argentina
“There are very few bilingual books on methodology of teaching dance… Writing it in two languages took [Anabella] two years, but worth the effort.” - La Nueva Provincia, Argentina
“It’s [Unveiling Motion and Emotion] about living a life in dance, engaging with the community you live in and connecting to your neighbors as well as your students to bring out the best in them” - Greenline, Brooklyn, USA
“The narrative style of Lenzu tends toward the poetic and sometimes metaphysical. Sometimes it offers beautiful images like the great pioneers of Dance, Martha Graham or Mary Wigman, provided to their dancers and students.” -DanceEurope, London
“As Artistic Director of Anabella Lenzu/DanceDrama, Lenzu draws on her diverse background to create thought-provoking and socially-conscious dance-theatre in the interest of improving our human condition.” -Jill Randall- Life as a Modern Dancer, USA
“At first glance, the reader might think Unveiling Motion and Emotion will be a typical autobiography, but instead author Anabella Lenzu’s twenty years of experience acts as a moving backdrop to her main purpose: the constant struggle “interspersed with bursts of development” in teaching dance and choreography.” Colleen Dean/ Dance Arts Now! USA
“Lovely images, expressive language, and a topsy-turvy layout divided into Spanish and English, carry us on a journey first to Argentina, then onward through three continents in search of the creative process... I highly recommend this book as a source within the dance curriculum." Colleen Dean/ Dance Arts Now! USA
“a career that has only grown from strength to strength for the Argentinean immigrant.” Greenpoint Gazette, USA
“I adore this book and will continue to read it for inspiration and encouragement!”-Haley Mathiot/ The Life and Lies blog, USA
“From the first time I met Anabella at Dance New Amsterdam (DNA) years back I felt a heart driven connection to her and her work in the studio as a teacher and through the choreography that I would watch her pass onto students and her company members.” -Lindsay Schaefer, USA
2014
"Her choreographic excerpts possess a prime color boldness that a child could easily respond to, and an unusually classic structure that a critic might appreciate.” Dance Enthusiast, USA
“You can feel her passion, soul, and message through each word and through each extension of her movement whether it be as simple as a touch of a fingertip or larger movements to encompass great space. Her powerful voice, heart, and soul can be felt immensely as if she is the Global Mother to Dance.” -Lindsay Schaefer, USA
2013
”Lenzu has chosen—or been chosen by—dance as her investigative framework because, as her opening essay is titled, “dance underlies all that I am.” This boldly provocative collection of writing should be in every dancer’s personal library.” – 4Dancers.org, USA
“Most inspiring is a list of lessons she’s learned from Dance (“To witness small miracles,” To embrace change,” “To celebrate life”) – Dance Magazine, USA
“Her writing is visceral and filled with insights that distill from deep intense reflection and research housed in her ‘thinking body'” – Attitude: The Dancer’s Magazine, USA
“All in all, Anabella Lenzu’s “Unveiling Motion and Emotion” is a refreshingly vulnerable literary statement, and a great addition to your summer dance reading list.” – Heather Desaulniers, USA
“Whether writing, leading a class or staging new choreography, Lenzu’s mission remains the same: to foster a more mindful, more kinetic, more connected dance community — and to keep moving with meaning for years to come.”– Dance Informa, USA/Australia
“Ms. Lenzu has a deep and broad background in dance, and a joy in a life of dance, that comes across clearly. ” Exploredance, USA
2012
"Lenzu proudly works from an aesthetic associated more with the "classical" modern dance of Humphrey, Limón and Graham than with the intents and strategies of New York's contemporary dance makers." InfiniteBody/Eva Yaa Asantewaa, USA
"Sangre & Arena, myth and ritual, the work evokes ancient, cathartic rites employing masks of fearsome animal gods; arresting movement gestures; heightened sounds of swirling wind, hypnotic chimes and terrifying gongs." InfiniteBody/Eva Yaa Asantewaa, USA
"Argentine firecracker Anabella Lenzu is passionate, communicative, and engaging.Her troupe, Anabella Lenzu/DanceDrama, explores the intersection of dance and theater, often investigating historical and social themes." Backstage, Lauren Kay, USA
"Anabella and her Dance Drama left spectators speechless" Houseofdandridge, Chancey Dandridge, USA
"The movement was athletic and punchy and in-your-face" Her Circle, Lauren Nikon, USA
2011
“The challenges of telling a personal story, such as her immigration and deportation, have provided the dancers an opportunity to inhabit a life other than their own. The collaboration of poetry, film, music, and dramatic facial expression and gestures made for a theatrical experience and gave the audience a space to think about these issues. The piece is at once personal and universal” Eye on Dance and The Arts, USA
“Anabella celebrates uniqueness as an artist in Latin America.” La Nueva Provincia, Argentina
2009
“Sensual yet powerful” The Luxury Spot, USA
2008
“Argentinean Dancer shines on New York Stages” Mi Zona Hispana, USA
“A bridge between the artists & the Italian community” Block Magazine, USA
“…choreographer Anabella Lenzu has created an engrossing physical landscape that explores and illuminates the characters and their personal relationships through a series of dances.” nytheatre.com ·USA
“Anabella Lenzu's passionate Latin choreography” Aaron Riccio, Show Showdown,USA
2007
“The quotidian and the eternal are represented in (Anabella's) small body... theatrical & magical” "Shock and wonder in the faces of the audience .” Michelina Zambella, Oggi 7, USA
2006
“Argentinean Choreographer Anabella Lenzu that uses tango steps, white handkerchiefs, and anguished gesture to convey a society in collapse.” The New Yorker, USA
“(Amen) The show is very suggestive and has beautiful choreography...full of symbols borrowed from other dances like Tango and the Argentinean "Zamba' ...There is erratic strength, fear, anguish, joy, light and shadow.” Laura Caparrotti, America Oggi, USA
“...A magnificent presentation at the Argentine Embassy. Creator of a fresh and attractive technique.“ Noticiero de Norte a Sur, New York, USA
“Che, Tango is a performance that expresses the humanity of us all.Anabella with her movements and magnificent interpretation opens a wound in our heart, where contrasting feelings spring forth.” Irene Diaz-Bazan, Atlanta Latino, USA