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Influenced by the revolutionary spirit of post ­1968 France and inspired by the multidisciplinary vision of American choreographer Alwin Nikolais, Lolita Danse sought to transcend individual identities and achieve “total and irrepressible free­dom” (Isabelle Bucklow). Their performances — which took place on the stages of major theaters as well as on street corners in France and abroad — combined multiple influences in a rich assemblage of gestures and sounds.

Mestiza Estudio’s uncovering of the group’s archives in this book reveals its intact vitality. Hundreds of previously unpublished documents — notebooks, texts, letters, photographs — retrace ten years of collective imagination.
This first book dedicated to the collective invites us to discover the freedom, passion, and creative force that shaped the Lolita era.

‘‘So, Lolita was without ego. In the vein of postmodern dance’s reverence for negation (as epitomized by Yvonne Rainer’s “No Manifesto” from 1965), shall we set out what else Lolita was not? Lolita… was not exclusive nor institutionalized, precious nor puritanical… Lolita was instead a melting pot of popular, concert and folk genres and traditions; a syncretism of Flamenco, Brazilian dances, Vendean dances, jazz dances, sardanas, Butoh, and Indian dances. And dance was but one facet of Lolita’s kaleidoscopic and transversal approach with seemingly discordant genres and styles in music, fashion, and scenography all folded together. Over Lolita’s ten years, their tours across France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Brazil only furthered their cultural kleptomania…They pushed the choreographic form to its limits.’’

—Isabelle Bucklow

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We turn research into a daily ritual, exploring culture and the essence of sight through the ancient craft of book-making. Our purpose is to engage in the profound construction of knowledge, focusing on uncovering cultural narratives and encounters, delving into the intricate connections that images and experiences evoke.

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