Meet Primera Generación Dance Collective

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Primera Generación Dance Collective . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Primera Generación Dance Collective , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Primera Generación Dance Collective (PGDC) found its purpose in the Los Angeles and Riverside communities by recognizing a significant underrepresentation of their identities, forms, and research within the dance field. As Mexican American artists, they sought to create works that resonated with their own lived experiences and those of their community, embracing their lived experience as first generation artists rather than shying away from it. The founding members—Alfonso Abraham Cervera, Irvin Manuel Gonzalez, Patricia Huerta, and Rosa Rodriguez Frazier—met during their graduate studies at the University of California, Riverside, where their research naturally intertwined. The collective came when Cervera was invited to share a work at the Contemporary Modern Dance Collective (CMDC) dance showing but instead he invited the three others into a collaborative project, leading to the creation of the work “Cambio.” The success of “Cambio” at various venues sparked deeper discussions among the group about forming a collective that values horizontal leadership and collaborative choreographic processes. Since 2015, PGDC has continued to grow, using their collective individuality and shared experiences to create impactful works that reflect and serve their communities. They remain committed to fostering what their bodies represent within the community, the impact of their art, and the continuous creation from a place of both individuality and commonality. Though crafting dance works and performing remains integral to the collective’s mission of creating representation, they have also sought to curate spaces for other artists across different genres, forms, backgrounds, and levels of experience. This effort materialized as (de) Color-Es, an event that unites artists of color to highlight the multifaceted and multimedia depictions of their art and art-making. Through (de) Color-Es, PGDC explores what it means to be an artist of color, questioning and considering how this identity manifests in the world, how they engage with it, and how they create in, beyond, through, and with it. The event builds networks of connectivity between diverse forms of artistry and localities, positioning this coalition as an evening of radical performance that centers and celebrates the richness of diverse artistic expressions.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Primera Generación Dance Collective (PGDC) is a Los Angeles and Riverside-based collaborative group formed by Alfonso Cervera, Rosa Rodriguez-Frazier, Irvin Manuel Gonzalez, and Patricia “Patty” Huerta. PGDC focuses on the visibilization of Mexican American corporeality, joy, and loss through movement-based exploration, process, and performance. The collective grounds their works in rasquache (tacky) play and resourcefulness, generating work that speaks to their Latine, working-class experiences. Utilizing a hybridization of text, satire, song, and movement, the collective fuses together their eclectic aesthetics to expose “el desmadre” (messiness) that is embedded in being first-generation Mexican Americans, reclaiming iconography and “low-brow” art to spark brown futurity. PGDC has performed at REDCAT, HomeLA, FLACC Festival, Mission Dance Theater, Highways Performance Space, El Teatro Campesino, Human Resources LA, BlakTinx Dance Festival in Arizona and LA, and NAVEL. In 2020, the collective took over leadership for Show Box LA, a non-profit organization that works to center and manifest trans-communal collaborations, creations, and networks between QTBIPOC artmakers in the LA region and beyond. Collectively, they build platforms that aim to generate resources for first-generation students of color. Over the years, PGDC has produced the (de) Color-Es festival, partnerships with AB Miller High School and The Wooden Floor, and organized events meant to highlight dance as viable career options for first-gen high school students.

Currently, we are about to debut our newest eventing length work at RedCat June 28th and 29th titled Nostalgia Pop, which pays homage and cheeky critique to the recuerdos romanticos that link Latine bodies together. A collage of ‘80s pop en Español, the “Latin Explosion” of the ‘90s, and millennial Mexican core weave together with media depictions of gente Latina. Four captivating dancers tell the story of how messy, fruitful, joyful, and painful the development of an ever-growing Latin Pop culture memory has been and the ways in which mainstream media shapes and is (re)shaped by Latine nostalgia. This work speaks to our experiences as individuals and hopefully fosters recuerdos and acts of rethinking of pop culture effects our bodies, our expectations, and sparks memory with joy.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

This is an interesting question for us only because we are ever continuing to grow, foster our approaches, and discuss what qualities, skills. or areas of knowledge we offer to one another and to the community. As a collective we would say …

Collective Individuality: PGDC thrives on the unique contributions of each member, embracing their individual strengths and perspectives while fostering a collaborative environment. This approach allows for a rich, multifaceted creative process, where each piece is a true reflection of the diverse experiences and insights of its members. The practice of horizontal leadership ensures that every voice is heard and valued, creating a dynamic and inclusive space for innovation.

Cultural Authenticity: At the heart of PGDC’s work is a deep commitment to cultural authenticity. By drawing from their Mexican American heritage and lived experiences, they create works that are not only personal but also resonate deeply with their community. This authenticity is crucial in addressing the underrepresentation of their identities in the dance field, allowing them to tell their stories with honesty and integrity, and to celebrate their cultural roots and social dance forms unapologetically.

Community Engagement: PGDC is dedicated to fostering connections within and beyond their immediate community. Through initiatives like (de) Color-Es, they curate spaces where artists of diverse backgrounds can come together to share and celebrate their art. This focus on community engagement not only amplifies the voices of underrepresented artists but also builds networks of support and collaboration. By engaging with their community in meaningful ways, PGDC creates a ripple effect, inspiring others and enriching the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and Riverside.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

As a collective and non-profit organization, we are always looking to collaborate with artists of different mediums and backgrounds. We would love to invest in a collaboration with artists who would be interested in co-creating costumes, scenic design, and visual elements, at least when it comes to creating our personal dance works. We want to collaborate because we love to learn and be exposed to other practicing artists who align with our values and goals as a collective.

We are also open to folks who would love to support our journey by sponsoring us and or creating other opportunities for us to create these types of networks as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://showboxla.wordpress.com
• Instagram: primerageneraciondance

Image Credits

Steve Rosa