Gabriel Mata
pronounced: gah-bryehl mah-tah
3rd Annual Latinx Movement Festival in Washington DC
AMÉRICAS AWAKENING
October 9 - 11th at Dance Place in Washington DC.
The Latinx Movement Festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival dedicated to uplifting contemporary Latinx/e artists through performance, education, and community engagement in Washington, DC. During Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month, this year’s theme, AMÉRICAS AWAKENING, explores migration, identity, protest, citizenship, belonging, and the political realities shaping communities across the Americas. The festival will feature newly commissioned dance works, poetry, visual art installations, public discussions, and performances by both local DMV-based artists and national guest artists.
The festival will features
Patricia (Paty) Meneses: Commissioned Local Choreographer
Camilo Montoya: Commissioned Local Artist
Natalia Narvaez: Young Choreographer Commission
Anniela Huidobro Castro: Visiting Guest Artist from Chicago
Lunna Gomes & Gabriela Neri: Commissioned Local Choreographers
Juan Manuel Aldape: Visiting Guest Artist from New York
cuerpo x cuerpo: Local guest performers
Alfonso “Sito” Sasieta: Local Commissioned Poet
Visual Artists Exhibit by Katty Huertas, José Higuera, & Violet Red
"There was a particular resonance as the artists—undocumented or first and second generation citizens—occupied the choreographic space as their own. The curation of the festival also reflected the inability of the traditional, western concert dance format—a repeatable series of steps bookended in time between curtains—to showcase some aspects of that lived experience. "
"An identity that is not defined by what others see or by how others want us to be seen, but one where being “neither from here nor there” in all of its forms – in sexuality, cultural identity, citizenship, gender expression, and beyond – is celebrated, expressed, and blended to create a tasty and seductive one-of-kind “salsa” I’m very eager to taste again."
- Mauricio Pita (GayCities) 2024
"It’s more than a little surprising that the Inaugural Latinx Movement Festival is just that—inaugural. It was well-curated by local dancer and choreographer,, Gabriel Mata, following a tried and true format featuring workshops, guest artists, panel discussions and performances. A performance which, at least on Sunday’s iteration, nearly sold out Dance Place in North East DC."
- Justin Rustle (Maryland Theater Guide) 2024
The Latinx Movement Festival in Washington, DC is a dynamic annual event that celebrates the expansive artistry of Latinx dance makers and cultural workers across the United States. Founded and directed by independent artist Gabriel Mata, the festival is rooted in the value of movement as both a physical and cultural practice. The festival highlights Latinx creators whose work engages contemporary, queer, and traditional forms of performance, movement, and storytelling. The Latinx Movement Festival DC offers a platform for voices often underrepresented in the dance and performance fields, while creating a welcoming space for cross-generational and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The festival was launched in 2024 with a successful inaugural season at Dance Place, featuring Carne Viva Dance Theater, Primera Generación Dance Collective, Xochipilli Dance Company, Salome Nieto, Gabriel Mata & Amelia Estrada and local commissioned choreographers: Angel Ramirez & Tabata Vara.
Driven by Gabriel Mata’s vision and supported by a growing network of community partners and artists, the Latinx Movement Festival is not just a celebration of dance—it is a movement for visibility, equity, and cultural celebration that continues to build momentum each year.