Puro Juego

Sheer Play is not a filmic approach that portrays an artist. It’s a retrospective of a way of life, combining art as a whole, dance, and a human profile that fully reflects that playful, unstructured, free, and irrefutably beautiful cosmos. It also has the wisdom to forge a path toward the present and what is to come: dance, its drive, its constant desire, its vital energy, and the dream field of play, the great game of life.

Oscar Araiz has been a prominent figure in the Argentine and international dance scene, with a career as a performer, choreographer, company director, and cultural manager. He is recognized as part of a key generation in the development of contemporary dance in the country, in dialogue with previous traditions and open to diverse influences.

Formative moments in his career include his work with German dancer and choreographer Dore Hoyer in La Plata, where he was a student, performer, and assistant director for the production of “La Idea”, as well as his relationship with maestro Renate Schottelius.

Play has been a recurring component in his creative processes, used as a starting point to construct meaning around the body and its expressiveness. His working methods prioritize intuition and physical availability over theoretical explanations, something that has been valued by some collaborators and questioned by others.

His work has been recognized for its precise formal construction and pursuit of visual impact. He has moved through a wide range of genres, from restrained lyricism to humor and irony, also traversing a broad musical spectrum. His choreography reveals a desire to address varied themes and contrasting aesthetics: the rhythmic energy of Scenes, the lightness of The Sea, and the drama of The Rite of Spring are examples of this breadth. He was also interested in literary adaptations such as The Trojan Women and “Boquitas pintadas”, works that address social and emotional issues from a choreographic perspective.

Araiz played an important role in key Argentine dance institutions. He was the first director of the Teatro San Martín Ballet in 1968, and also directed the Teatro Colón Ballet and the Teatro Argentino de La Plata Ballet. On the international stage, he directed the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève for almost a decade and collaborated with companies such as Grupo Corpo in Brazil. Since 2009, he has been associated with the National University of San Martín (UNSAM), seeking to integrate artistic practice with academia.

The international press has highlighted his versatility, with The Guardian describing him as a “one-man band,” alluding to his comprehensive role in diverse areas of staging. His work has been presented at major theaters and festivals, including the Paris Opera, the Rome Opera, and the Joffrey Ballet in New York. While he has received critical acclaim, he has also been the subject of debate surrounding his aesthetic choices and working model.

Une Autre Passion by Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève Ukiyo-e by Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève The Nutcracker by Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève Elements by Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève