Alicia Mullikin is a formidable bad-ass and to know her work is to see the future of dance, not just in Seattle, but the world. Her work features incredible choreography cultivated from a deep-rooted sense of heritage, strength and resilience. If you’ve ever seen her work live, you know the rush of palpable energy that crashes on to the audience like a wave to a rocky shore.
After one of Alicia’s dance classes at Exit Space Dance, she told me about a logo design she had in mind for her company El Sueño and if I could design something for her and of course I said yes. I went home and, from her brief description of a Virgin Mary combined with a fierce Chola vibe, I drew what I imagined was a first draft and sent it to her for feedback. It ended up being the first and final draft.
El Sueño was featured in an exhibit at the University of Washington’s Henry Art Gallery in November of 2021 through April 2022. Alicia not only spearheaded the exhibit and advocated for an appropriate budget to represent it adequately, but hosted an opening reception, an Artist Talk and a Q&A session for guests and UofW students. The exhibit featured video excerpts of El Sueño’s dance film, captured by videographer Devin Muñoz, and a 14-foot version of the logo. It also featured an interactive experience wherein visitors could write messages to future generations on flowers and pin them to a wall garden. Truly beautiful.
I had to get a picture. When will I ever be able to stand next to something I designed when it’s this big?
