Patricia Maldonado is a San Diego–based dance improviser, choreographer, curator, and cultural connector whose work bridges movement, performance, and community storytelling. As a key contributor to Vanguard Culture’s bi‑national programming and advocate for improv‑based artistic practice, Maldonado has built deep connections across local and international creative communities. Her multidisciplinary practice reflects a commitment to expansive expression and collective experience.

In this ART SHOP TALK conversation presented by Vanguard Culture, Maldonado explores the concept of “The History of Joy” — unpacking how joy operates not just as an emotion, but as a lived, embodied history within cultural practice and communal resilience. Drawing on her background in performance and community‑centered art, she shares insights into how joy emerges through movement, memory, and shared creative exchange, revealing its power to sustain, connect, and inspire across diverse artistic landscapes.