Lucada Mélange is an interdisciplinary performance art organization that entertains while uplifting social and environmental needs in New York City and beyond. Our artistry often combines Opera, Butoh, and Music Composition with a medley of arts–providing a space for people to discover and explore challenging themes within our humanity, cultures, environments, and the universe–catalyzing innovation and healing in our ever-evolving world.

Lucada Mélange is fiscally sponsored by The Field under their non-profit 501(c)(3)

Luna Moth (Movement) + Cicada (Voice) + Mélange (Music & medley of arts) =

Lucada Mélange

Lucada Mélange Folklore

A Lucada is a mythological creature combining a Luna Moth and a Blue Moon Cicada. With no mouth, the Luna Moth is silenced within its short lifespan and expresses only through movement. In contrast, the long-lived Cicada sings nocturnal operas with its body’s instrument. The enchanting Luna Moth and vibrant Blue Moon Cicada meet by moonlight and, through dancing, singing, and creating, transform into a Lucada. Her curiosity is nurtured by intuition in response to her environment, and music & a medley of arts foster a renaissance with every artwork~

Lucada Mélange.

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Artworks

The Artistry of Lucada Mélange often combines Butoh, voice, and music composition with a unique medley of arts to create original artworks, adaptations, and inter-art styles of existing works. Our artworks are deeply rooted in the belief that art is essential to life as it emerges from internal responses to external stimuli and offers new perspectives, transformation, and healing.

Upcoming

Living Works

In Process

Collaborations

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Events Calendar

Upcoming:

Sponsored by: The Garment District Alliance

“A Safe House in Tenderloin” by Lucada Mélange

The Garment District on 39th Street & Broadway (near

December 5th from Noon to 1 pm

“A Safe House in Tenderloin,” created by Lucada Mélange, featuring Carmen’s “Habanera” by Bizet sung by Dianna Cortez (mezzo-soprano), Donna Ahmadi (Butoh & choreography), and Derek J. Weagle (orchestral arrangement) is an eco-feminist and female reclamation piece highlighting the history of crime, drugs, and prostitution in the Garment District, formerly known as the “Tenderloin District.” With the resonances of “Blue Bird” by Bukowski, this piece explores themes that allude to the right to a woman’s safe house in her body and a deep yearning to be freed from human trafficking. Please wander by for unique performances that are free and open to the public.

*Please note that this inter-artwork is discreetly beautiful and can be viewed by people of all ages.

Interdisciplinary Art: Opera, Butoh, Music Arrangement, Costume, Sets, Poetic themes, Immersive-Installation.

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Interdisciplinary Artists

Butoh

• Singing

• Music

• Composition

• Movement

• Theatre

• Acting

• Film

• Puppetry

• Site-Specific Installations

• Dance

• Performance Art

• Costumes

• Set & Lighting Design

• Immersive

• Spoken Word & Poetry

• Vocal Arts & Music (Experimental & World Music: Opera, Jazz, & Folk)

• Devised

• Story-Telling

• Animation

• Multi & Mixed Media

• Culinary Arts

• Visual Arts

• Language Arts

• Fashion

• Healing Arts

• Space for unknown possibilities

• Science

• Environmental Art

• Art for Social Action

• Eco-Feminism in Art

• Culture

• Humanities

• Universal themes

• Butoh • Singing • Music • Composition • Movement • Theatre • Acting • Film • Puppetry • Site-Specific Installations • Dance • Performance Art • Costumes • Set & Lighting Design • Immersive • Spoken Word & Poetry • Vocal Arts & Music (Experimental & World Music: Opera, Jazz, & Folk) • Devised • Story-Telling • Animation • Multi & Mixed Media • Culinary Arts • Visual Arts • Language Arts • Fashion • Healing Arts • Space for unknown possibilities • Science • Environmental Art • Art for Social Action • Eco-Feminism in Art • Culture • Humanities • Universal themes •

Lucada Mélange originated from the creative minds of Donna Ahmadi and Dianna Cortez. In 2021, Donna and Dianna met through their love of *Butoh under the tutelage of Yokko (Producing Artistic Director of RenGyoSoh from Nagoya, Japan). Donna and Dianna bonded through the pleasure of creating collaborative inter-artworks by combining their unique interdisciplinary skills. The essential need for original music connected them to composer, music director, and interdisciplinary artist Derek J. Weagle. Lucada Mélange was born in 2023.

*Butoh: "Butoh is a form of Japanese dance theatre encompassing various activities, techniques, and motivations for dance, performance, or movement. Following World War II, Butoh arose in 1959 through collaborations between its key founders, Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno (Wikipedia)."

Our Story

Company Members

Bios

Co-Producing Artistic Directors

Dianna Cortez

(she/her/hers)

www.diannacortezvoice.com

Interdisciplinary Artist

Mezzo-Soprano & Actor

Director & Devising Author

Voice & Movement Composer

Voice, Text, & Dialect Coach

Filmmaker & Theatre Artist

Donna Ahmadi

(she/her/hers)

Interdisciplinary Artist

Dancer & Choreographer

Director & Devised Author

Puppetry & Costumes & Sets

Massage Therapist & Educator

Filmmaker & Physical Theatre Artist

Donna Ahmadi

Dianna Cortez

Baltazar Cortez

(he/him)

Interdisciplinary Artist

Technical Crew:

Lighting & Sound

Film & Photography

Baltazar Cortez

Luther Elliot

(he/him)

Interdisciplinary Artist

Culinary Artist & Poet

Technical Crew:

Lighting & Sound

Film & Photography

Luther Elliot

Derek J. Weagle

(they/them)

www.derekjweagle.com

Interdisciplinary Artist

Music Director & Composer

Classical/Experimental Opera & Devising Author

Singer & Sound Healer

Derek J. Weagle

Lauren M. Lowell

(She/her)

Interdisciplinary Artist

Costume Designer

Guest Collaborators

Maya Encila

she/her/hers
Actor/Singer/Dancer
Gwyneth Benitez-Graham

she/her/hers
Actor/Singer/Dancer/Violinist
Anthony Collins

he/him
Photographer/Videographer
Gabriel Ethridge

they/them
Actor/Singer/Musician
Jody Gazenbeek-Person

he/they/she
Dancer/Actor/Director/Choreographer
Erika Kapin

she/her
Photographer
Kaiwei

He/Him
Electronic Sound Artist
Ayabonga Mani

he/him
Actor/Dancer
Lauren McGough Lowell

she/her
Costume Designer
Cooper Michael

she/they/he
Actor & Production Assistant
Anthime Miller

they/them
Cellist/Singer/Composer
Antonio Oliveira

he/him
Interdisciplinary Artist & Technician
Pascal Phoa

he/him
Actor & Technician
Jennifer Shaw

she/her
Cellist
Yokko & RenGyoSoh

They/Them
Interdisciplinary Company

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Education & Outreach

Classes & Workshops

Lucada Mélange offers classes and workshops for all levels in acting, singing, public speaking, articulation & dialects, movement, dance, composition, music, and combined interdisciplinary arts.

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Private Lessons

Company members offer advanced private lessons in their interdisciplinary fields of expertise. Private lessons may include Linklater Voice, Colaianni Speechwork, Dialects, Acting, Sound & Movement, Movement, Dance, Interdisciplinary Creations, and Composition.

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Outreach

Lucada Mélange strives to connect with our communities by creating performances and hosting talk-back discussions at local schools, universities, and social/environmental centers. We aim to raise awareness about essential community needs and promote healthy transformation and healing through the arts.

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Support for Artists

Dear Supporters,

We are deeply thankful for your generous patronage. Lucada Mélange is a grassroots organization that relies on grants, sponsorship, and funding to create its works and pay its artists. Your support helps to sustain us and enables us to provide fair pay for our artists.

We cherish your support and eagerly look forward to sharing our future successes with you.

With Love & Gratitude,

Lucada Mélange

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