Everyone was dancing at Alameda’s Chochenyo Park last Saturday. Rhythmix Cultural Works hosted Nuestros Colores: Art & Culture Festival of the Americas, the latest entry in their Performance Art and Learning (PAL) in the Parks series of family-friendly multicultural performances. From the sounds of the cajón and the rhythms of bomba, to colorful skirts, fabulous footwork and flavorful cuisines, the festival celebrated music, dance, art, food, and culture from Latin and Indigenous traditions in an afternoon of fun for the whole family.
The afternoon’s lineup of local artists featured the electrifying beats of The Ka-Hon Ensemble with their soulful Latin American and Spanish melodies, the explosive rhythms of Batey Tambó’s Puerto Rican bomba, the colorful and spirited Colombian folk dance of La Cumbiamba Colombiana, the graceful and captivating Salvadoran folk dance of Ballet Folklorico Flor de Café, and the riveting tropical música caribeña of Bululú.
There were handmade crafts from Portal Artesanal, stunning tin art nichos from Devika’s Palacio, unique ritual kits from The Intuitive Goddess, artwork by Steve Javiel and exquisite hand-painted mehndi from Mancha de Mehndi. Kids had the opportunity to unleash their creativity and learn about traditional Latin American art by making their own arte repujado (embossed tin art) and indigenous Taíno symbol rock paintings with local artists Rachel Anne Palacios and Mela Delgado. And, on-site food trucks included authentic flavors of Puerto Rican food by Boriqua Kitchen, sweet acai bowls and poke by Chef Hits the Streets, and tacos and boba teas (including horchata flavor!) by Teaqueria.
Rhythmix’s PAL in the Parks series, including Saturday’s Nuestros Colores festival, brings performances of music and dance, hands-on art activities for youth, and culinary treats and dishes from around the world right to your neighborhood. PAL in the Parks is presented in partnership with the City of Alameda Recreation and Parks Department and Public Art Commission. Previous performances in this year’s series include Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Rogue Rhythms, and the Asian and Pacific Islander Festival.
Maurice Ramirez is the official photographer for the City of Alameda. Reach him at [email protected]. His photography is collected at MauriceRamirez.com. His posts are collected at AlamedaPost.com/Maurice-Ramirez. All photos are ©2023 Maurice Ramirez.
