La Mezcla Comes to Burke’s

Based in San Francisco, La Mezcla is a polyrhythmic dance and music ensemble rooted in Chicana, Latina, and indigenous traditions and social justice. Founded in 2015, 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 states, streets, fields—and now to Burke’s. 

La Mezcla first captivated Lower Schoolers with song and dance, and engaged them in rhythm-based activities that also worked on their motor skills, such as clapping and stomping, and calling and responding. The dancers created an assembly that was equal parts entertaining and educational for our young students.

In the Upper School, students learned more about how La Mezcla’s dances intertwine with social justice and storytelling. They explored how dancing and art express histories of the systemic exploitation of labor, especially in the US-Mexico borderlands, as well as stories of resilience within female migrant domestic worker communities. 

For Ms. Yatroussis, Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, it was essential to inspire students to creative expressions of joy, skill, and craft, especially by a local woman-founded dance company. “La Mezcla offers and uplifts the aspects of Latinx/indigenous communities by creating performance works that highlight the dignity of farmwork, social justice, and domestic labor,” she said. “By bringing in a sample of creative excellence from a San Francisco-based company, I hope it affirms and inspires our Latinx students. Dance is a sacred expression of identity; we need more connection, joy, and respect for other cultures.”

Long after the assembly, the dance and spirit of La Mezcla continued to weave its way throughout campus!