Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, the Patricia Rincon Dance Collective presents “Nothing to Declare,” a unique look at Mexican-American culture.
“Nothing to Declare” was born out of what Rincon describes as the “profound experience” of returning to Mexico 30 years after moving to the United States, where she found herself surrounded by her “family, heritage, history and roots.”
Confronted with this duel history that many Mexican Americans face, she sought to create a piece that dealt head on with the struggles and achievements of the community. Rincon carefully crafted a piece that dealt with the evolution of Mexican-American stereotypes and the reality of being a Mexican American in the present day.
In “Nothing to Declare,” more traditional elements of Mexican culture collide with popular culture. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the poetry written for the show by Adolfo Guzam, a member of the Taco Shop Poets. Spoken in both English and Spanish, the poetry adds continuity to the piece as it progresses.
Not only does the production include dance and poetry, but also elements of musical theater such as singing and acting, which help to add more dimensions to the piece. The music in the production ranges from traditional Mexican music to rave, and more serious elements of the piece are balanced by moments of humor.
Many traditional Mexican symbols appear throughout the production, such as the image of the Madonna. One of the dances also features the imagery of brightly colored wrestling masks as the dancers use the primitive energies of wrestling to create a dance that is aggressive yet beautiful.
Also on the program for the evening is “RushStop,” the unique multimedia production that uses the work of animator Steve Churchill. This piece looks at the role of time in our society with brutal honesty and more than a bit of humor. Questioning and laughing at why we feel the need to schedule time to relax, this piece is something to which everyone can easily relate.
These two works combine real life issues with the art of music, poetry, video and dance to bring the point home in a provocative yet humorous way.
Performances will be held at Sledgehammer Theater at St. Cecilia’s Church, located at 1620 Sixth Ave. (at Cedar) in Downtown San Diego, April 29, April 30 and May 1 at 8 p.m. and May 2 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 for general admission and $14 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the Patricia Rincon Dance Collective at (760) 632-5240 or through Ticketmaster at (619) 229-8497.
