Blue Unicorn Dance Film

About the project
In 2016 choreographer Tyler Gilstrap created a solo for the stage for dancer Samuel Lee Roberts. Ms. Gilstrap drew her inspiration from a live recording by Cuban musician Silvio Rodriguez.

The song, "Mi Unicornio Azul,” is a moving plea by Rodriguez to find the blue unicorn that he has lost. He desperately wants back the impossible.

Samuel’s character and the movements he embodies are rooted in the poetic descriptions that Rodriguez has woven through the song. The solo was also deeply inspired by Samuel's unique qualities as a dancer and artist.

Upon retiring from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2019, Samuel approached Tyler about turning the solo into a film. They sought out dancer and filmmaker Tobin Del Cuore to help bring this vision to film.

Below is the English translation of Silvio Rodriguez’s beautiful song that has inspired us all to make this film.



“My Blue Unicorn”
Yesterday, I lost my blue unicorn
I left him grazing and he suddenly disappeared
I'll generously reward any information
On his whereabouts
The flowers he left behind,
They still don't want to talk to me
 
Yesterday, I lost my blue unicorn
I don't know if he escaped
I don't know if he got lost
And I have nothing
Nothing but a blue unicorn
If someone knows anything
I beg them to share that information with me
Be its cost one hundred thousand or one million
I will pay
 
My blue unicorn
Got lost yesterday
He's gone
 
My unicorn and I forged a friendship that was
Based a bit on love, based a bit on truth
He would capture songs with his indigo horn
He knew how to share them with others,
That was his vocation
 
Yesterday, I lost my blue unicorn
And this might seem like an obsession
But I have nothing
Nothing but a blue unicorn
And even if I had two
The only one I want is that one
I'll pay for any information on his whereabouts
 
My blue unicorn
Got lost yesterday
He's gone...


- Silvio Rodriguez