In this talk, Community Leader Dr. Mario E. Aguilar will provide an overview of the 50-year history of Danza Azteca-Chichimeca in San Diego, shedding light on its arrival, growth, and evolution within the city and throughout the United States.
In 1973, the first of two Danza Azteca-Chichimeca-Conchera elders arrived in San Diego, bringing with them a profound message about the ancestral connections of Mexican/Mexican-American/Chicano communities to the indigenous peoples of Mexico. These deep roots find expression through the traditional dance known as "Aztec Dance."
About Mario E. Aguilar
Dr. Mario E. Aguilar is an accomplished educator, community leader, and artist. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from San Diego State University (SDSU). From 1986 to 2016, he served as the Assistant Director of the Early Academic Outreach Program at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). He also was a lecturer at Muir College (UCSD) and SDSU for the Chicana/Chicano Studies program. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Aguilar has been actively engaged in various community endeavors. For over forty years he has held the esteemed position of Capitán General (Tribal Leader) in Danza Mexi'cayotl, a prominent indigenous dance group in San Diego, and has served as the Executive Director of the Mexi'cayotl Indio Cultural Center in Chula Vista since 1987. Throughout his life, Dr. Aguilar has been involved in music and artistic expression. He was a member of the Chicano music group Alacranes Mojados from 1977 to 1982 and played an instrumental role in establishing the first Chicano Danza Azteca Group in the United States, Toltecas en Aztlan, from 1975 to 1980. Additionally, he was part of the Chicano-Indigenous music group, Servidores del Arbol de la Vida, from 1973 to 1974.
RVSP Required | Space limited $15 non-members | $8 members | $10.00 Seniors