The sense of excitement and expectation was palpable in a packed Salomon 101 on Saturday night. IN the second of two shows, MEZCLA celebrated Latino culture with a blend of dance, song and, surprisingly, comedy.
On its 10th anniversary, MEZCLA has much to be proud of. In the decade since Elizabeth Garcia '95 created it, the company has accomplished what many other organizations only dream of. The diverse audience was a mark of MEZCLA's ability to create a performance with multicultural draw and appeal, uniting all through a common love of music.
The numbers ran the gamut from lyrical traditional pieces to fast carnival dances like the samba to dances set to recent hip-hop hits. Two of the show's three starting numbers were traditional pieces performed in full traditional garb. The first was a subtle and flirtatious dance performed with abanicos, or fans, and the third was a Folklórico Mexicano. Though a nice touch, the first number was too low-energy and repetitive. The other piece however, was a marvelous display of mastery of rapid, complicated footwork.
Interspersed between performances were video clips detailing the history of MEZCLA, past performances, influential Latino artists and personal reflections of group members, which alternated between lighthearted and insightful. The clips added much to the show, showing the evolution of the group over the course of its 10 years.
There were only two vocal numbers in the lineup, the first of which was a plaintive love song called "Con Los Años que Me Quedan." Beautifully sung by Alyssa Iglesias '08 with accompaniment by Mike Racine '07 on guitar and Mena Ramos '05 on percussion, the song was perfectly performed with a blues club feel and showed Iglesias' excellent vocal range. The second was a pitchy rendition of the Brazilian song "Sonho Meu" performed by the duo of Nicki Anderson '05 and Conchita Cruz '07. The weak vocals did not do justice to the song, which ambled around between keys and was deeply unsatisfying.
But there were many stellar numbers that made memorable impressions. Among the standout performances of the night were Ana Mascareñas' '05 soulful guitar solo, a playful group dance called Casino, a seductive rumba, a samba, a crowd-pleasing adaptation of John Leguizamo's one man comedy show "Freak" by Adam King '06 and a hip-hop number called "Tribute to NYC."
The sensual energy between the rumba performers made it exciting to watch, while the spirited samba brought the crowd a taste of the Brazilian Carnaval spirit. The "Tribute to NYC" reflected the continual fusion of Latino and hip-hop culture and was performed energetically by all of the dancers. King made a very convincing Leguizamo in his performance, almost channeling the spirit of the Latino comedian. With perfect comedic timing, he mastered Leguizamo's stage mannerisms and proved himself to be, in short, a very funny man.
MEZCLA is the rolling stone that gathers no moss. From Saturday's seamlessly woven show, it is obvious that it has not lost any of its momentum over the last 10 years. Garcia's brainchild has thrived and developed to become a beautiful celebration of Latino culture. The performances showcased the dedication, pride and talent of the entire troupe. One hopes MEZCLA's next 10 years will be just as fruitful and exciting as the last and maintain the show's spirited energy.
