A Madison-based artist and educator is bringing culture, storytelling, and community together through a growing grassroots initiative aimed at connection in an increasingly disconnected world.
Founded in late 2023, Kallpa House of Spirit Dances is described by its creator, Natalia Armaconki, as a “home of cultural and knowledge sharing.” Rooted in dance, music, poetry, and storytelling, the project serves as both an educational space and a hub for community gatherings.
“It’s a space where we can share our own stories,” Armaconki said. “In a reality where narratives are often told for us, this is about creating space to tell them ourselves—and to listen to each other.”
The name “Kallpa” draws from both Quichua and Sanskrit origins, referencing ideas of vital energy and cosmic cycles. For Armaconki, the concept reflects a living, evolving community grounded in tradition and creativity.
While she leads the initiative as its founder and primary instructor, Armaconki regularly collaborates with guest artists, performers, and educators. “It’s mostly a one-woman operation,” she said, “but it grows through the people who contribute their art and energy.”
That collaborative spirit will be on display at an upcoming multicultural fashion show and fundraiser—an expansion of a similar event she organized last year. The previous show, held around Valentine’s Day, centered on the theme “Be Love.” This year’s event shifts focus to a new idea: “We continue existing.”
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Armaconki explained that the theme is rooted in a Quichua phrase expressing endurance and presence. “I interpret it as ‘existence as resistance,’” she said. “There’s so much happening in the world right now—violence, disconnection, isolation. Simply coming together and continuing to exist, to share space, can be powerful.”
The event will feature a blend of fashion, performance, and storytelling. Unlike a traditional runway show, participants will share the cultural and personal significance behind their attire, with opportunities for spoken word, music, and dance interwoven throughout the evening.
Guest artists include a Menominee cultural practitioner and dancer Marla Mahkimetas, Black queer trans poet and teaching artist Ti S Banks, and Palestinian dancer Amelia Bader.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will support both participating artists and Armaconki’s ancestral village of Laramarca, located in the south-central Andes. The village, she said, faces ongoing threats from mining interests, and funds help support educational opportunities, environmental efforts, and community resilience.
“I go back every year and ask how I can help,” she said. “This is one way to build connections across borders and support the community in meaningful ways.”
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Beyond fundraising, the event aims to foster lasting relationships among attendees and participants alike. Armaconki hopes the shared experience will spark conversations and connections that extend well beyond a single evening.
“We don’t always know our neighbors,” she said. “But when we come together, when we listen, when we learn, that’s where transformation can begin.”
She also emphasized the importance of supporting artists and community organizations beyond the event itself, encouraging attendees to follow performers’ work, engage with local initiatives, and continue learning.
In a time when much of life is mediated through screens, Armaconki sees in-person gatherings as essential. “This is about being present with each other,” she said. “Not just seeing, but feeling that we are part of a larger human community.”
The event will take place this Saturday at The Crossing, 1127 University Avenue starting at 4:00 p.m. Community members interested in attending or learning more can find additional information through Kallpa House of Spirit Dances website.
