Performance Opportunity!! La Mezcla Artistic Director and choreographer Vanessa Sanchez will be leading a Performance Workshop for ODC’s Spring Performance! We will create a percussive performance piece rooted in Tap Dance, with elements of traditional Son Jarocho foot work, centering Afro-Cuban rhythms as both the score and inspiration for original tap choreography. Geared towards Advanced Beginner tap dancers and up, Rehearsals begin in April!
We are so excited to keep bringing the community together this year, keep an eye out for upcoming events!
Video by Harry Gregory
Our next season will be announced very soon!
If you’re headed to APAP|NYC this year, look out for the La Mezcla crew and follow up with Sharon & Vanessa over a proper east coast bagel! ☕🥯
Learn more about Ahualulco, a new work in development by Vanessa Sanchez, and La Mezcla’s touring productions, including limited slots of a 2026 remount of the internationally toured production, Pachuquísmo, and recently toured Ghostly Labor & Rhythms of Resistance: Music and Dance Concert
2025 with La Mezcla! This year we celebrated our 10th anniversary, hired our FIRST managing director, premiered our “Rhythms of Resistance” concert, had touring engagements in 4 cities, hosted 11 Connecting Communities with Artists workshops with Master Artists, held development residencies in San Francisco & New York City, GOT AN OFFICE SPACE, AND MORE! We couldn’t have done it without you all! Gracias to the community for all your support this year, we are so excited for what’s to come in 2026!
Join us on Saturday December 13 for a special Connecting Communities with Artists Son Jarocho workshop with Maestro Claudio Naranjos Vega and La Rama + Community Fandango in the neighborhood! RSVP required due to limited capacity!
Son Jarocho Workshop with Claudio Naranjos Vega La Rama + Community Fandango Claudio Naranjos Vega has participated in “Los Vega” for 25 years to date. He has contributed as a musician (requinto instrument and guitarra de son), composer and arranger, and as of 2020, director of the group. Los Vega has performed in a large number of cultural and artistic festivals in the country and abroad; such as China, the United States and Canada. They have participated in different film recordings, such as for the theme La Bruja from the Oscar-nominated, movie Frida.
As of 2022, Mr. Claudio has been working at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts as the Music Specialist for Mexican Music in Son Jarocho. During his time at the East Bay Center, he has given classes to over 1,000 students and led a Resident Company called Son de la Tierra. In 2023 & 2024, he received two grants from Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA). He recently participated in recording for a CD called “Caminos” in which he led a Son Jarocho version of a track. In 2024, Mr. Naranjos was invited to perform in Washington D.C for a Day of the Dead event at the National Portrait Gallery where 7,000 people attended.