Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriel Scampini.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am an artist shaped by movement, in the physical and emotional sense. I stand on the intersection of immigration, creativity, vulnerability, and passion. I am a young Venezuelan who has loved art since I was a child. When I was little, I would find the opportunity to get behind the microphone at the family karaoke nights, or I would follow my instincts and write scripts for my cousins and other family members to perform. Without realizing it, I already felt a connection to theater and acting, but in the city where I grew up, there weren’t many opportunities for me to train. For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in dance, and at age 11, I began training in Salsa Casino (also known as Rueda, a Cuban salsa style).
When I moved to Caracas, I had the opportunity to train with different theater groups while attending university to study sociology. My training with Grupo Fabula taught me the importance of always playing and never forgetting our connection with our inner child; my training with Teatro Nueva Era made me fall in love with theater and body language as a creative medium. It was the place where my knowledge of dance and theater merged to show me the path I wanted to explore. These were years of resilience, where the political and economic situation in Venezuela was becoming increasingly difficult, but where the resilient community supported each other.
After moving to the United States, art was my boat for navigating the rich cultural change. In Dallas, I devoted myself solely to dance for a while, exploring genres such as hip-hop, Latin fusions, and Afro-beats. I worked and competed with companies such as Orizon and Team Athena. In 2021, I began teaching dance classes and leading movement workshops for the community, combining techniques from ritual theater, dance, and improv.
In 2022, dance led me to rediscover theater, where my heart currently resides. After this rediscovery, I became more aware of the limited range of Spanish-language theater that Dallas has to offer, especially considering that we are in Texas. So I set out to build a bridge between the Anglo and Hispanic communities where both can enjoy good theater equally.
This past year, I directed “Como Agua para Chocolate”, a free adaptation of Laura Esquivel’s classic, and was the assistant director for El Otro by Octavio Solis; both produced by Teatro Dallas. More recently, I wrote and directed “Nudos & Raíces” (Knots & Roots) as part of my artist residency with Arts Mission Oak Cliff, a bilingual play that delves into the intimate and bureaucratic aspects of the migrant experience, along with the resilience of our communities.
As an immigrant in the DFW metroplex, I want to do my part in cultivating inclusive, multicultural spaces and emphasizing the beauty of our diversity. I want to amplify the sense of freedom, empathy, justice, and love through my craft. My artistry and my storytelling are in service of healing people, creating visibility, and fostering a sense of liberation.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it hasn’t been an easy road. I come from a country that taught me to hold my head high, smile in the face of adversity, and create with empty hands, where the rumbling of my stomach fueled my desire to go far.
After migrating, one of the biggest challenges was to continue making art while surviving, supporting my family, and starting from scratch in my twenties, all at the same time. Familiarizing myself with a totally new system, far from the community that previously supported me, and adapting to a new culture. These have been difficult changes, but they have taught me a lot.
On a personal and creative level, I can say that it has been an interesting challenge to live in a world where we are expected to wear our labels visibly. From what you do as an artist to the white box to label my demographic. However, navigating the hues of my humanity and identity beyond a checkbox is always a pleasure.
On the other hand, one of the great challenges today for independent artists like me, and even for some organizations, is finding a space where we can reside and create. Where we can rehearse and showcase our creations that enrich the culture of our communities. However, the desire to grow and create is stronger, and my resilience has led me to create despite the obstacles.
Indeed, it has not been smooth, but it has been an incredible journey of rediscovery and knowledge. It is the path that has led me to be who I am today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a director, choreographer, and performer. I currently direct plays, create movement pieces, and collaborate on creative processes that support and shine a light on the parts of our community that don’t often have a voice. I want to contribute to a world where art is not separated from the people who need it most.
I am known for intuitively combining my knowledge of dance and theater in my work, creating an immersive experience for the audience. My work is human and accessible. It reflects our community and empowers it. I lead movement labs where care, vulnerability, curiosity, and love are celebrated, and where people from different backgrounds can reconnect with creativity through their bodies. I am also famous for being very involved in the creative and artistic process of any of my works, ensuring that the concept, the aesthetic, and all the layers are cohesive.
Recently, I am very proud of the work accomplished with Nudos & Raíces, a piece that deeply moved the audience with its multiple perspectives on immigration and started a conversation around communal healing.
What sets me apart is the unique sum of my experiences. My Caribbean roots, more than 15 years of working with my body as a creative tool, my ability to bring together different communities and cultures from a place of respect and curiosity, and the care and respect I bring to my crews in any creative process.
What’s next?
Continue creating and enriching the cultural scene in DFW. Create more artistic opportunities and offerings for Spanish speakers, strengthening the bridge that has been slowly built.
Take important pieces like Nudos & Raíces to other stages, and to be able to share it with more people because it is a project I believe in deeply and know that people need.
Throughout the year, I will be offering movement workshops along with Teatro Dallas, so I am excited to connect with the community and see how we grow together.
In the summer of 2026, I will be presenting Como Agua para Chocolate again with Teatro Dallas for two weekends. The performance will be in Spanish, and the intention is to offer surtitles this time so that the English-speaking audience can enjoy the piece equally. Then, in the fall, I will be directing another play with two theater companies. I don’t know how much I can say about it at this point, but it will be an adaptation of a book by Isabel Allende, which I am extremely honored and excited to be a part of.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gscampini/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabrielscampini09
Image Credits
Frederick Ezeala Corey Hanes
