International House Davis hosts ‘Raíces en Movimiento’
The event brought Latin American dance, poetry and history to life in a celebration of migration and cultural identity
By ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org
On Saturday, April 11, International House Davis (I-House) hosted “Raíces en Movimiento,” a celebration which included dance, history and musical exploration to commemorate stories of Latin American migration.
The event, which is part of the International House World Tour: Roots & Routes series, featured traditional and contemporary dances from across Latin America alongside original narration and poetry. The event highlights themes including displacement, belonging and cultural identity.
Johanna Abasto, marketing and communications manager at the International House, described how the interdisciplinary format was a deliberate creative choice.
“‘Raíces en Movimiento’ was intentionally designed as an interdisciplinary experience because migration itself cannot be captured through a single medium,” Abasto said. “It’s emotional, physical and deeply personal.”
Abasto said that the program’s structure mirrors the scope of Latin American migration itself.
“The program moves through a symbolic journey across Latin America — Mexico, Guatemala, Peru and Uruguay — each represented through distinct artistic expressions that carry both cultural specificity and shared human experience,” Abasto said. “By weaving these elements together, the event allows audiences not just to watch, but to feel the journey — connecting body, memory and story in a way that mirrors how migration is actually lived.”
Rachel Hartsough, arts and culture manager for the City of Davis, explained the background of the event as well as the city’s ongoing involvement.
“Raíces is part of a series presented by International House Davis throughout this year,” Hartsough said. “[The City of Davis] sponsored not just this single program, but the whole series.”
Hartsough outlined how the event fits into the city’s broader goals around cultural arts programming and initiatives.
“I-House is a long-time partner with the city’s Arts & Cultural Affairs program,” Hartsough said. “Their work supports our mission of supporting community-based arts projects, cultural opportunities and education initiatives that foster excellence, diversity and vitality in the arts.”
Hartsough also described how she originally found out about the event and what sparked the city’s involvement.
“I work closely with Shelly Gilbride, the Executive Director of the I-House,” Hartsough said. “She shared with us their plans to roll out this new and rich programming that explores cultural identity and storytelling through the work of interdisciplinary artists.”
The event featured three guest artists: Karla Alarcon Avila, a Guatemalan-born dancer, choreographer and educator; Olga Novoa Cipriani, a Peruvian artist and UC Davis Masters of Business Administration (MBA) candidate whose performances draw on traditional dances including Marinera Norteña, Festejo and Huaylas; and Miguel Novoa, UC Davis Ph.D. candidate in Latin American History and percussionist and co-founder of the Melody Museum, an educational project exploring how music mirrors memory and identity across borders.
Abasto noted that the artists were selected through a formal open call — the first of its kind for the International House.
“We received over 30 proposals from artists, scholars and cultural practitioners,” Abasto said. “Submissions were reviewed by a panel of I-House staff based on criteria such as alignment with the themes of diaspora and migration, artistic merit, community engagement and the ability to foster dialogue and connection. From that process, a select group of artists was chosen to represent a diverse and compelling season.”
Abasto spoke to why these themes feel especially resonant in Davis right now.
“Davis is a globally connected community, shaped by international students, scholars, immigrants and families from all over the world,” Abasto said. “At a time when global uncertainty and conversations around migration continue to shape people’s lives, creating space to reflect on displacement, belonging and cultural memory feels especially urgent.”
Hartsough commented on the importance of centering Latin American culture and traditions.
“We believe strongly in the need to center and celebrate the cultural heritage of a wide range of members in our community,” Hartsough said. “For us, programs like ‘Raíces’ build off of the work we have done over the past few years exploring care in the local community.”
Hartsough also detailed what she hopes attendees will take away from the event.
“We hope that attendees get to experience and learn something new, or get to see their own cultural heritage celebrated, or merely get to feel joy through participation in the Arts,” Hartsough said. “Through either experience, we hope programming like this helps to develop understanding, empathy and kindness toward our neighbors and fellow humans, and that through activities like this, we build a stronger community.”
Abasto echoed that sentiment, describing the event as an educational experience for Davis residents.
“We hope audiences leave with a deeper emotional understanding of migration — not just as a concept, but as a lived, human experience,” Abasto said. “The goal is to spark conversations that extend beyond the event: conversations about identity, belonging and how we support one another as a community.”
Hartsough illustrated the city’s future goals and programs related to arts and cultural affairs and provided a recommendation for community members hoping to stay in the loop.
“The city supports a wide range of creative programming throughout the year that centers and celebrates the rich diversity of our local community,” Hartsough said. “You can learn more about this, as well as other non-city supported programs, by following us on Instagram or by subscribing to The DIRT online calendar events.”
Written By: Alma Culverwell— city@theaggie.org