By Patricia Rincon
The Myth Project: “Alice in Toltec Landia” is a Dance/Theater/Circus production conceived, directed and choreographed by University of California San Diego Distinguished Professor of Dance Patricia Rincón, with Assistant Director Christian Baumgartner, Actor and Director. It explores the magic of life and death and is inspired by what the Toltecs believed: “That life is a dream and that we are always dreaming, even when awake.”
The performance will highlight and enhance the artistic expressions of Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). In the Toltec understanding, to stop being a conventional human it is necessary to travel through an intense process of metamorphosis, in which the animal nature is left behind. This causes us to dedicate ourselves only to the purity of the senses. If it is our purpose to become humanized and enlightened beings then we need to dedicate our strength, our time, and our life to the spirit that manifests itself from our animal nature to an evolved human. Like the caterpillar that becomes the butterfly, the transformation is a powerful journey in achieving this beauty. Transformation equals alchemy.
This choreographed journey at Casa de Europa will feature unique art installations with performances by professional dancers, actors, and circus performers, all set to original music, scenic, and costume design. This dynamic fanciful and humanistic tale is indeed for children and adults alike.
The Patricia Rincon Dance Collective is a cross-border, not-for-profit organization. Funding for The Myth Project: “Alice in Toltec Landia” is made possible by a grant from the University of California San Diego COR Research in the Arts, with sponsorship from Casa de Europa, and additional support from Casa Shala.The Myth Project: “Alice in Toltec Landia” will feature local and international artists including Artistic Director Patricia Rincon; Actors Christian Baumgartner, Dianna Hoogesteger, and Arturo Jimenez; Professional Dancers; Tara Casone Weinberg, and Ximena Velasco Castro; Performance Artist; MariOsa. A cultural landscape of fresh, multi-dimensional dance/theatre/circus to honor the ancient tradition of Dia De Los Muertos.
