Pachuquismo

Pachuquismo began with the so-called Zoot Suit Riots, a wave of violence directed against Mexican-Americans in different cities during the summer of 1943. The assailants, mostly members of the military, attacked anyone on the streets of Los Angeles who was wearing this type of men’s suit, which had become popular amongst young people in Black and Latino communities since the 1930s in Harlem. The violence quickly spread to target anyone who looked Latino, including women and children.

The production, directed and choreographed by Vanessa Sánchez, recounts those events in a show featuring an all-female cast. A story about the systemic racism endured by the leading figures of Pachuca culture, which is regarded as the cultural origin of Chicano identity.

The American choreographer, founder of the company La Mezcla, focuses her projects on reviving the cultural heritage of native communities.

Pachuquismo won the Isadora Duncan Award in San Francisco for best production and has undertaken an extensive tour, performing at venues such as Lincoln Centre in New York and the Cervantino Festival in Guanajuato (Mexico).