The Consulate General of Mexico in New York, through its Cultural Institute, and in collaboration with New York Poetry Press, had the honor of hosting the official presentation of the poetry collection Dance of Four Arms, authored by Silvia Siller. This extraordinary event formed part of the Consulate’s broader cultural diplomacy efforts to promote Mexican literature and artistic expression abroad.
This initiative was conducted as part of a special outreach to the Mexican migrant community residing in New York City, with the aim of fostering cultural dialogue and providing inclusive spaces where members of the diaspora could connect with contemporary voices in Mexican literature. The event was held at the headquarters of the Consulate and welcomed an engaged and diverse audience.
Silvia Siller’s Dance of Four Arms offers a profound and evocative fusion of poetry, mysticism, philosophy, and dance, making the evening a deeply reflective and artistically rich experience. Her reading of selected poems created an intimate atmosphere that resonated deeply with attendees.
The presentation was further enriched by a special flamenco performance, which added a powerful sensory and symbolic dimension to the program. This interdisciplinary element underscored the themes of movement, rhythm, and identity that are central to the collection, while also celebrating the interconnectedness of Hispanic cultural traditions.
The event drew active and enthusiastic participation from the audience, particularly members of the Mexican migrant community, whose presence and engagement reaffirm the importance of cultivating cultural spaces that both reflect and celebrate the diversity and creativity of our people abroad.
The Consulate General of Mexico in New York, through its Cultural Institute, remains firmly committed to promoting cultural initiatives that strengthen ties between Mexico and its community in the United States, and to supporting artists and writers whose work contributes to a richer understanding of our collective identity.
Mexican poet, communications consultant specializing in philanthropy and Latin America, and cultural promoter. Her poetry was featured in Luciana Corres's exhibition Man(o)rar at the Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City (2018) and the Textile Museum of Oaxaca (2017).
She was a finalist in the 2017 Entreversos competition organized by the Mar Azul Foundation in Venezuela. Her poetry collections were recognized at the International Latino Book Awards in 2015 and 2016. She also received the Gabriela Mistral, Julia Burgos, and Frida Kahlo Award from the Galo Plaza Group in New York for her contributions to Latin American culture in 2015.
She has participated in international poetry festivals, including Granada, Nicaragua (2015, 2016, 2018), the Guadalajara International Book Fair (2016), the International Festival of Cali, Colombia (2017), Gabriela Mistral in Chile (2018), and The Americas Poetry Festival of New York (2015, 2017). She has also been recognized as a distinguished visitor of Santa Ana, El Salvador. In New York, she collaborates with the Hispanic community through workshops, conferences, and readings at venues such as the Hispanic Society Museum, New York Public Library, and CUNY Poetry Festival.
She holds a Master's in International Relations from Columbia University, a diploma in Modern and Contemporary Latin American Literature, and a 2019 Writing Seminar from CUNY. Additionally, she has produced theater-flamenco projects incorporating poetry. Her consultancy, Mujer Prisma, focuses on content creation and translations.
Danza de Cuatro Brazos is a book about ritual, movement, and the human body in communion and transcendence with the spiritual. Silvia Siller, like Paul Valéry, believes that everything becomes dance, everything is consecrated to total movement. “There is no pure dance without uproar, / without a shore facing the cliff, / without a gasp before death,” states one of the poems in this collection, immersing us in the fascinating, enigmatic, and still largely unknown universe of Indian culture and religion.
Writers such as Jorge Zalamea, Severo Sarduy, and Octavio Paz have previously offered, in that order, marginal, magenta-hued, and mystical versions of India. Siller, with astute sagacity, provides a reinterpretation of the ritual celebration of Shiva—the god of dance and the destruction of the universe—through powerful and evocative imagery. Dreams, time, and travel are also presented as symbolic keys, as evidenced in these verses: “I am a traveler in the womb of the dance: observe the fleeting nature of the fervor manifested in prayer.”
Readers entering this singular and highly creative book will grow arms to embrace mystery by another name.
Location: Consulate General of Mexico in New York
Address: 27 E 39th St, New York, NY 10016
Hours: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Until June 2025