Takeover At Barrio Logan In Chicano Park, San Diego 2013

Excerpt from Kris Eitland’s review about the event:

“Welcome to Chicano Park, April 22, 1970, center of the world!” Epifano calls out, as Julio Velasquez circles at high speed on a bicycle through the pillars.

The murals are stunning and warrant a full day’s viewing. They symbolize the struggle for the liberation of Chicano Mexicanos and the protest to secure city land for a public park. The community lost its beach access to the Navy in World War II, and it was ripped in half by Interstate 5. And it still struggles with zoning laws that mix residences and polluting industrial sites.

Epifano’s dance has a respectful, yet surreal tone. She creates a circus atmosphere, appearing as a ring leader in turquoise under the big top, which is the bay bridge, a giant concrete tent. She directs Velasquez on his bike and conjures a partner for him.

Dressed in a bright skirt and sturdy high boots, Sadie Weinberg appears in the distance – you wonder if she’s part of the show or just passing by – and soon she and her man dance and rebound on the edge of a fountain. A dreamy sound mix conspires with the spiraling bike and bodies to make you dizzy – Are we all time travelers sent to another era? And more so, there’s a feeling of ghosts and giant eyes in the pillars looking down.”

Read the full dance review by Kris Eitland in San Diego Story:
Trolley Dances soars with choir and murals; sparks talk about homeless