La Peña Cultural Center

Welcome to La Peña! Promoting social justice & intercultural understanding through the arts since 1975.

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Una Escuela Llamada América (2021)

Honoring the World Day for Cultural Diversity (May 21st), we offered this beautiful documentary to watch online for FREE from Thursday, May 19th through Thursday, May 26th, 2022. Filmed in Arica (north of Chile), this 36 minute-long movie immerses us in the complexities of migration through the point of view of immigrant children. The film is not available anymore online, but we encourage you to contact the directors with your inquiry if you are interested in watching it!

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Una Escuela llamada América (Arica, Chile — 2021) LEER EN ESPAÑOL

Synopsis: Joaquín, Deyna, Ricardo and Dilan are children that have something in common. Although they were born in different countries, they all live in the city of Arica and study in a public primary school with a large number of immigrant students. A choral narrative that covers their experiences around migrating and growing up in Chile, immerses us in the complexities of migration from a candid, transparent, direct and simple point of view, typical of childhood. They tell us about the challenges and obstacles they have faced, as well as about their hopes and the opportunities that have opened to them in a politically troubled Chile. While together with their families they walk us through their biographies, they reflect on their lives and the future they want to build.

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS:

Antonia Mardones Marshall is a Doctoral candidate at UC Berkeley’s Sociology Department, an external investigator at the Universidad de Tarapacá, in Chile, and a Social Science Research Council (SSRC) Fellow. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Anthropology from the Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia, in Mexico, a Master’s degree in Socio-cultural Anthropology from Columbia University, and a Master’s degree in Sociology from UC Berkeley. Her research interests are around the intersection between international migration, racial and ethnic constructions, popular culture, and national identities, mostly focused in the Latin American context. 
Pablo Mardones Charlone is a researcher and professor at the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) and the Universidad de Tarapacá (UTA). He is a photographer and documentary maker (CFP-SICA), and holds a PhD in Social Anthropology and a Master’s degree in International Migration politics from the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA). He is the Director of Alpaca, a production company specialized in ethnographic photography and documentaries www.alpacaproducciones.com.
María Paz Espinosa Peña holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Anthropology, a Diploma in Analysis Methodologies in Social Sciences and a Diploma in Indigenous Rights  from the Universidad Academia de Humanismo Cristiano. She also holds a Diploma in Anthropological Expert Testimony from the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), in Mexico.  

Back due to popular demand: the second round of our Salsa, Bachata & Merengue Dance Class Series starts in June!


Our popular beginners-intermediate Salsa, Bachata & Merengue dance class series is back at La Peña for 4-weeks, starting Tues. June 7th!

Join us and explore the possibilities of your body and how to communicate with others through dance, rhythm and flavor! Partners are not necessary!

SERIES DESCRIPTION

Beginners – Intermediate Class Series (4 Weeks) Tuesdays at 6:15pm-7:15pm, June 7 – June 28

This is a 4-week series designed for beginner-intermediate students to learn and enjoy three popular Latin dance styles: Salsa, Bachata and Merengue!

Classes are taught by Venezuelan dance instructor Juliana Mendonca (she/her).

Juliana’s teaching style is not a traditional ballroom style latin dance class. She first teaches her students to connect to their body and to connect to the rhythms before getting to the steps and turns. This foundation will help you loosen up your hips, knees, shoulders and arms to allow each student to get their own authentic feel for each genre and its unique rhythm.

SERIES SCHEDULE (4 weeks) 6/7/22 – 6/28/22

  • Tuesday, June 7, 2022, 6:15pm-7:15pm
  • Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 6:15pm-7:15pm
  • Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 6:15pm-7:15pm
  • Tuesday, June 28, 2022, 6:15pm-7:15pm

Series Tuition Cost: $94 for entire series .

BONUS PERK! Students get a FREE ticket to an upcoming BAILA! party at La Peña (June 17 or July 15). (Promo code will be emailed after first day of class.)

Please note: Drop-ins to this series are NOT available.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR Juliana Mendonca (she/her) is a dance performer, choreographer and teacher. She graduated with a degree in dance from University Institute of Caracas, Venezuela in 2005, she also served as an instructor at the Performing Arts Department of the University of the Andes in Mérida, Venezuela (2012-2015). Juliana co-founded Raíz de Agua, a music and dance company. Juliana currently lives in Oakland, California with her husband and daughter, working as a dancer, choreographer and teacher.

*COVID-19 POLICY: This class series will not require vaccinations and masks will be optional. However, if City of Berkeley health policies change at any given moment, we will be adhering to those requirements. If the class cannot be held in person due to new mandates, the class will be held online. Thank you for your understanding!

*LA PEÑA COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS:

Classes are the most fun when everyone feels safe! We invite you to participate in creating a community culture in which we support and hold each other accountable for making La Peña a safe and inclusive space that we can all enjoy.

  • Treat everyone with respect.
  • Practice thoughtful communication and language.
  • Practice consent.
  • Honor everyone’s gender identity and preferred pronouns.
  • Be self-aware.
  • Take care of yourself and each other.
  • Practice active listening.

Our BAILA Parties are now monthly!

THIRD FRIDAYS, 7:00PM – 1:00AM: Come to La Peña once a month to remember how fun life can be when you’re dancing!

All of our BAILA Parties include:

  • 7:00pm Doors open
  • 7:30pm Gender-inclusive Bachata & Salsa Dance Classes (no partner or experience necessary!)
  • 7:30pm Bachata Dance Party in the Lounge
  • 9:30pm Live Concert and Dance Party in the Theater
  • Bar and hang out room to reconnect with friends & make new ones
  • Party goes until 1:00am in all of our three rooms!

The vibe of this party will be like a spontaneous dance party that broke out in your kitchen, only if your kitchen had big wood floors, a great live band and sound system, and 200 of your friends, chosen family, and a few intriguing strangers…

Like all events at La Peña, this gathering is inclusive of all cultures, ages, orientations and identities, so you can bring your whole self to the dance floor and be properly celebrated.

PLEASE NOTE: We will require ID & Proof of Full Vaccination at the door. Booster shots and the use of masks inside will be encouraged but NOT mandatory. See our most updated Covid-19 Policy here.