La Mezcla
polyrhythmic, San Francisco-based dance and music ensemble rooted in Chicana, Latina and Indigenous traditions and social justice.
Founded in 2015 by Dance/USA fellow Vanessa Sanchez, their work brings together Tap dance, Son Jarocho and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to bring the often unseen histories and experiences of communities of color to stages, streets and fields.Committed to using dance and music for social change, La Mezcla offers paid internships, artist mentorships, and has partnered with organizations including Lincoln Center Education, KQED Arts, and Ayudando Latinos a Soñar Farmworker Fridays to provide educational opportunities and hands-on community engagement. https://lamezclasf.net/
Help Bring Pachuquísmo Back to the Stage and to Madrid!
This Fall, La Mezcla will remount the full-length production of Pachuquísmo for two major performances.
On October 29, the company will perform at SF State’s McKenna Theatre, returning La Mezcla Founder and Artistic Director, choreographer Vanessa Sanchez to her alma mater for a special Bay Area presentation.
In November, Pachuquísmo will travel to Madrid for its first European performances as part of Festival de Otoño.
The performances, flights, and housing are supported, and SF State is providing partial rehearsal support. What remains underfunded is the extensive work required to return the complete production to the stage.
La Mezcla has not performed the full-length work in three years. Preparing it for San Francisco and Madrid requires a full remount involving dancers, musicians, technicians, production staff, and new company members.
Our goal is to raise $5,000 during September to help pay for that essential preparation.
Audiences see the final performance. They rarely see the hours of physical training, musical preparation, collaboration, historical learning, and technical work required before the artists reach the stage.
Dancers have historically been underpaid or expected to rehearse without compensation. Women have also historically been underpaid for their labor.
Pachuquísmo features an all-women and gender-nonconforming cast. Paying the dancers, musicians, and technicians for rehearsal is central to La Mezcla’s commitment to a more equitable dance field.
Rehearsal is labor. Rehearsal is work. Your gift helps La Mezcla compensate artists for the complete scope of that work.
Thank you for helping us bring Pachuquísmo back to the stage and carry these stories into their next chapter.
With gratitude,
Vanessa Sanchez
Artistic Director and Choreographer
La Mezcla