Dancing Into the Next Generation: Performer Honored Immigrant Parents Dancing Into the Next Generation: Immigrant Daughter Honors Parents

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – A flurry of feet twirled and leaped across the Goldstein Auditorium stage this past Saturday.

The Latinx dance troupe, Raíces, or “roots” in Spanish, held their annual fall showcase in the Schine Student Center on the Syracuse University campus. Co-chair Mia Gutarra defined this year’s theme, named for the Spanish word for essence.

“We decided to name it Eséncia and it’s the journey of discovery of one’s mind, body, and soul,” Mia said.

For Gutarra, this theme could not have been more fitting. Growing up, she felt very immersed in her Peruvian culture: she spoke Spanish and learned traditional dance styles.

“If you’re not dancing, you’re not Peruvian,” she said with a laugh.

When Gutarra started college at Syracuse University, a predominantly white institution, she began to feel disconnected from those close-knit roots.

“It was like an identity crisis, because I’m like, at home I can be happy and just sharing my culture, but here I was like I don’t know if I have that space or that outlet to do so, so when I did find Raíces it was like I finally found people where I can be open about my culture and express it through dance,” Gutarra said.

She initially started as an ensemble dancer, but quickly worked her way up to co-chair of the program. 

“Family is very pushed in most Latinx households and so that sense of community and trust we’ve built with one another? There’s nothing else like that,” Gutarra said of the organization. 

Gutarra never realized how important speaking Spanish was to her until she was only surrounded by English. Her parents immigrated from Peru 23 years ago, pushed to leave from violence and government corruption. The two of them, along with Gutarra’s grandmother, drove up four hours to attend the Raíces showcase.

Her father, Juan Gutarra, said he loved seeing his daughter perform several Peruvian dances.

“I think it’s the most important to maintain their roots as much as possible, it can get a bit more complicated as they are the second generation,” Juan said in Spanish.

Juan and his wife have both worked as custodians at Harvard University for many years. This Ivy League is also the university their eldest daughter, Adnil, is graduating from in the spring.

“All the time I try to support both my daughters both my Mia and my Adnil,” Juan said in English.

Several weeks ago, Juan had his permanent residency request approved. This meant the world to Gutarra and her family since after 23 years long years, both of her parents are permanent U.S. citizens.

“They did risk it all just for their potential future family, and so my sister and I are eternally grateful,” Gutarra said.

She has seen her parent’s stress level off, as well as her own, as the news of citizenship has finally sunk in.

“It’s such a relief and weight of one’s shoulders, just not having to worry about your mom or your dad getting pulled over and not having a license,” Gutarra said. 

She described her own “Eséncia” as a combination of her Peruvian roots and American life. Honna Santos-Lopez, Gutarra’s co-chair, said she’s seen her friend thrive after joining the team, and therefore, embracing both of her cultures.

“She has blossomed, imagine a cherry blossom tree, just blossoming…slowly but surely, that’s literally Mia,” Santos-Lopez said.

This spring, Gutarra and Santos-Lopez will lead Raíces again. Their next goal? Winning a dance competition  in Binghamton.

In the eyes of her family and friends, Gutarra’s performance symbolized dancing into the next generation.