About > Research
Luis received an MFA in Dance fromĀ UCLA’s Department of Worlds Arts and Cultures/Dance in 2016.
His research and creative work center on the intersection of dance, puppet-theater, and storytelling. He is also actively engaged in progressive arts education and was s a teaching artist with ArtWorxLA. He is passionate to engage in arts-based community outreach projects for at-risk / vulnerable populations.
Alongside his activities in the visual arts and performance filed, he is equally interested to find ways to utilize the visual and performing arts in healing modalities. His recent travels to Japan and Indonesia have expanded his research scope to include examining how ancient and contemporary cultures have used the arts in ritual/ceremonial contexts. A current focus, which Luis iss engaged in, is the study of how storytelling and performance with dance and objects can function to build cohesion in local communities. He is also examining how the visual and performing arts are harnessed to address social and political concerns of disenfranchised populations.
With Professor David Gere of the UCLA Art and Global Health Center (WAC/D) Luis has studied the Theorization of Arts Activism, studying the ways that the arts can function for social change around the world.
In addition to his studies within the Department of World Arts and Cultures, Luis expanded his educational activities to include coursework in the Department of Chicano/a studies at UCLA. With Professor Judith Baca of the Chicano/Chicana Studies Department and SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) he has studied Community Cultural Development, as well as, Arts Activism and Social Media.