EL SUEÑO
A dance company founded and directed by dance artist and educator Alicia Mullikin. The company uses dance as a platform for community engagement, healing, and empowerment of marginalized communities. EL SUEÑO actively weaponizes dance against cultural erasure and systematically deconstructs harmful narratives about brown bodies in hopes of providing representation, cultural restoration, and nurturing environments for the next generation of dance artists.
"First generation Americans are the flowers that bloom after generations of harvest"
—Alicia Mullikin (EL SUEÑO Founder/Director)
Director
Alicia Mullikin is a first generation Mexican-American dance artist, educator, community organizer, and founder of EL SUEÑO. Her work weaves ancient and contemporary identities into physical manifestations by drawing from her rich cultural experiences and deep-rooted ancestral ties. Through all of her work, Alicia aims to empower historically marginalized communities and nurture the next generation of dance artists. Alicia is an educator who holds an M.A. in dance from Cal State University of Long Beach and regularly engages in community dialogue and curriculum development to create more culturally relevant and equitable educational systems. Her work has been featured/produced at The Henry Art Gallery, on PBS/KCTS-9, TASTEMADE Travel, and a number of other local and national organizations and festivals. Alicia’s article “Recognizing Systemic Racism in Dance,” has been shared at institutions nationwide and her company EL SUEÑO regularly brings free accessible art experiences to King County. For more info about her company follow @el.sueno.dance on Instagram.
Production Manager
Tessa Bañales (she/her), a Persian, Mexican American movement artist, and collaborator based in Seattle, WA. Tessa currently is a Stage Manager in theaters around Seattle, and is the Co-Artistic Director of PRICEarts N.E.W. Dance Company. Tessa works towards representing and empowering the communities around her, and bringing those stories to the forefront. She chooses to engage with companies like EL SUEÑO that aim to bring art and empowerment to marginalized communities. As a dancer in EL SUEÑO Tessa was able to mix her passion with her knowledge of backstage and dance to call attention to the stories of our past and the dreams for our future.
