“Specifically for LGBTQ artists, especially BIPOC artists, there is an intersectional aspect to all this - there are so many layers that they must navigate because of the community they’re in. Shortly after that event in 2018, Zaquia Mahler Salinas started Disco Riot, a San Diego-based organization whose main purpose is “to produce and support innovative dance programming.” Cuizon, who began dancing with Disco Riot after it launched, spoke to Salinas about the possibility of producing a queer-centric dance event.įour years later, what began as an idea has become a reality with Queer Mvmnt Fest, which is being held from June 24 to 27 under the auspices of Disco Riot. That’s when I thought to myself: ‘Why doesn’t the dance community have this? We really need something like this.’ There are so many queer people in dance, but why isn’t there an event that showcases the work of queer dancers and choreographers?” “It wasn’t Pride-related but happening around Pride. In 2018, “I was performing at an event here in San Diego around the time of Pride Week,” she recalls.
That’s exactly what happened a few years ago when she realized San Diego’s LGBTQ dance community didn’t have an outlet - a safe space, really - to express themselves through movement. When Desiree Cuizon sees something that needs to be fixed, she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty and fix it herself.
