By Ventura Breeze Staff –
Ode to La Pachuca returns to Namba Performing Arts Space for two unforgettable performances — Saturday, June 7 at 7 pm and Sunday, June 8 at 2 pm — offering a stirring tribute to the bold, untold stories of the Pachuca women of the 1940s.
“Ode to La Pachuca honors the Pachuca women — immigrants whose history extends from acts of generosity and sacrifice to resistance. In light of today’s political climate, as we watch history being manipulated, we thought Zoot Suit week would be the perfect time to share the Pachuca’s stories,” states NAMBA Executive Director, Tamara Varney.
“Ode to La Pachuca celebrates the rebellious spirit, resilience, and bold self-expression of the Pachuca women of the 1940s — figures who defied cultural and gender norms with radical style and fearless presence. This performance honors their impact as foremothers of Chicana identity, fashion, and resistance. We also recognize and honor the Riveters, the housewives, and all the women of the 1940s whose strength, labor, and sacrifice helped shape their generation,” states Director and Choreographer Laurie Muniz of Colibries Collective.
The story begins when a young Chicana is sent to retrieve her grandmother’s shoes from the attic. What she finds instead is a suitcase full of relics—lipstick tubes, photographs, old letters, white makeup—that open a window into her family’s revolutionary past. As the suitcase opens, so does a journey of intergenerational memory, revealing the loss and persistence of identity across time.
Part dance, part theatre, and wholly transformative, Ode to La Pachuca celebrates the Pachucas—courageous women who claimed space with unapologetic style and indomitable presence. Their fashion was not mere defiance—it was an act of cultural awakening.
Audience members are invited to wear their Zoot Suit best or Pachuca-inspired looks for free admission. Let your presence be part of the awakening. Let your style speak. Tickets: $20 in advance at NambaArts.com, or $25 at the door. Free with themed attire (Zoot Suit or Pachuca-inspired).
