Contra-Tiempo: Activist Dance Theater | Roots of Loving Us

CONTRA-TIEMPO Activist Dance Theater returns to the Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego on Friday, October 16, with the world premiere of Roots of Loving Us. It's an evening-length work that asks what it means to create, sustain, and redefine family in the 21st century.

The piece brings together two women of color, mothers, activists, and community leaders: CONTRA-TIEMPO's founding artistic director Ana María Alvarez and Responsive Body's holly johnston. It grew out of conversations with adoptees, foster families, queer parents, and people with diverse birthing experiences, tracing origin stories shaped by biological uprooting and the re-rooting of bodies through Afro-Latine movement practice and contemporary dance. The work was built through community workshops and storytelling circles with partners like Echoes of Hope and Community Coalition.

There's a strong visual element to the show, too. Performance artist and fashion designer Yozmit The DogStar created costumes that carry the written stories of the workshop participants; over the course of the performance, those costumes disintegrate into new sculptures. It's a literal unraveling on stage that mirrors the themes of breaking apart and reforming.

This is CONTRA-TIEMPO's third appearance at ArtPower. The performance runs from 7:30 to 9:30 PM, with gates opening at 6:30 PM, so you have plenty of time to find a spot before it starts. Tickets are $30 to $55, and there are limited free tickets for UC San Diego students available through SSO.