About
TEMPO DANCE & VISUAL ART
Tempo Dance and Visual Art is a multidisciplinary company that works by project seeking to create, connect and share visions of the world through contemporary dance, photography, video, installation and education. Founded in Mexico in 2019 by Carla Alcántara—Mexican dancer, emerging choreographer, visual artist, and educator—TEMPO began as a platform for artistic collaboration rooted in community and social impact. Through her passion and commitment to positively transforming others’ lives, Carla has worked with many artists to develop choreographic works and inspiring workshops that continue to impact many.
Today, TEMPO is co-directed by Carla Alcántara and Marco Esccer, a queer Mexican dance artist, choreographer, and Dance Movement Therapist based in Vancouver. Together, they bring a shared vision for interdisciplinary creation, cultural exchange, and community-driven practice. Their collaborative leadership continues to expand TEMPO’s reach and deepen its commitment to art as a vehicle for connection, reflection, and collective storytelling.
TEMPO has participated in performances and festivals including "POP UP Dances" by New Works (Vancouver, BC), "All Over The Map" by New Works (Vancouver, BC), "Postcards Digital Short Works" by Spring Works (Ontario, Canada ) "Spring Market Festival" by VLACC (Vancouver BC), III Contemporary Dance Festival "Cuerpo al Discovered" (CDMX), “Cuerpitos Dance for Children” within the framework of the "Festival Internacional Cuerpos en Tránsito 2019" (Tijuana, MX), "Sibu International Dance Festival" (Sibu, Malaysia), "Festival Without Walls México" (Tijuana, MX), "IMARP Mostra Internacional de Dança- Imagens em Movimiento- Video dança" (Brazil), "Festival Internacional Cuerpos en Transito" (Tijuana, MX), finalist for the "Young choreographers Showcase & Price" by the company “San Diego Dance Theater" (San Diego, CA) and company selected for the International Contemporary Dance Festival of Mexico City " FIDCDMX".
TEMPO Dance & Visual Art has the privilege to be located in unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations or so called Vancouver since 2021, researching, creating and sharing artistic proposals in the hopes of creating a positive impact on people.
Carla Alcántara
Founder & Artistic Co-Director
Carla Alcántara is a Mexican multidisciplinary artist, dancer, emerging choreographer, photographer, videographer and educator. Born and raised in Mexico City and moved to the unceded traditional territories of the xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations or so-called Vancouver in 2021
Carla has performed, participated in creative processes of artists, choreographers, and companies, including “Lux Boreal” (Tijuana, Mexico), “8 Proyecto GATO” (Mexico City), “ARCOS Dance (Austin, TX), “Nohbords” ( Mexico City), "La Silla Danza" (Tijuana, Mexico), Charlotte Boye-Christensen (Vancouver, Canada), VLACC (Vancouver, Canada), and in festivals like "IndieFest by re:Naissance Opera", "POP Up Dances" & "All Over the Map" by New Works" (Vancouver BC) “Spring Works” (Ontario, Canada) “Without Walls” (San Diego, Ca), 12 Min Max (Vancouver, BC), SIBU International Dance Festival (Sibu, Malaysia), “Cuerpo al Despósito” (Mexico City), “Trolley Dances”/ San Diego Dance Theatre, (San Diego, CA) “Cuerpos en Tránsito” (Tijuana, MX), among others.
She holds a bachelor in Science Communications from Universidad del Valle de México in Mexico City, and was an exchange student at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, New Mexico (USA). She graduated from the "Center of Dance and Scene Production of Baja California", a program funded by the contemporary dance company “Lux Boreal” in Tijuana, Mexico, with whom she collaborated as a resident dancer and photographer for three years; and she holds an undergraduate degree as an Associate of Arts from University Canada West in Vancouver, BC.
Aside from dance, Carla currently works as a freelance photographer and videographer, capturing her passion for movement through the lens. In 2019 she was selected as one of the “25 visions of Baja California, Mexico” for her photographic scenic work.
In Canada, she constantly collaborates with local artists and organizations to capture their creative processes and scenic work.
Carla has a great passion for teaching. She has taight dance in styles likeÑ jazz, ballet, contemporary dance, floor work technique and improvisation for over 8 years. Guiding students through technique and creative pathways to develop their artistic selves.
Nowadays, she is part of the Shadbolt Center for the Arts dance faculty, is one of the choreographers for their Youth In Motion Dance Company, and teaches ocasional workshops.
Marco Esccer
Artistic Co-Director
Marco Esccer (he/him) is a queer Mexican dance artist, choreographer, emerging writer, and Dance Movement Therapist based in Vancouver, on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. His artistic work explores themes of migration, resilience, and belonging through a rich blend of movement, poetry, and community-based practice. With a Bachelor’s degree in Ballet from Mexico City’s National Ballet and Contemporary School, Marco’s foundation in classical and contemporary dance has evolved into an interdisciplinary practice rooted in collaboration, healing, and storytelling.
Marco’s work has been presented by Co.Erasga, The Dance Centre’s 12 Minutes Max, Coastal City Ballet, Dance West Networks’ Re-Centering Margins, and Momentum 180’s Parallel Project as an emerging playwright. In recent years, he has developed and led his own creative projects, including Camino y Despedida (Walking Farewells)—a sold-out interdisciplinary performance blending dance, live music, and poetry—and Seeds of Resistance, a tribute to Mexican writer Rosario Castellanos, co-directed with Carla Alcántara, honoring Castellanos’ legacy through dance, text, projections, and collective memory.
Marco is deeply committed to community engagement and the transformative power of the arts. He has facilitated numerous movement and writing workshops across Vancouver, often focusing on creating inclusive, trauma-informed spaces for reflection, expression, and connection. Since 2022, he has been writing a poetic essay series on Art and Resilience in collaboration with Moc Vang (Spain).
Currently, Marco serves as Community Engagement Manager at New Works, where he supports inclusive programming and builds relationships with artists and communities across the city. He is also Artist in Residence at the Roundhouse Community Centre (2023–present).
As Co-Director of TEMPO Dance & Visual Art, Marco brings his passion for interdisciplinary creation, cultural exchange, and social connection into collaborative leadership. His work continues to seek common threads across cultures and disciplines, building bridges between artistic forms and the diverse communities that call Vancouver home.
Collaborators
