‘Dreamer’ uses dance to prove he belongs
Gabriel Mata emigrated from Mexico to the United States when he was 5, reuniting with his mother, who was living in Santa Ana at the time. It wasn’t until he was 16, however, that his mother told him of his undocumented status. Mata, 26, is one of the 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, or “Dreamers,” living in the United States. “I hated the situation I was in, which directed me to hate my culture and my family for putting me in this space,” Mata says. But discovering dance around the same time he learned he was undocumented allowed him to have a space to physically process the turmoil he was feeling while considering his future. His love for dance landed him a scholarship at San Jose State University. In 2013 Mata received Dreamer status, allowing him to pursue his education and career. Since graduating, Mata has performed with SJ Dance Company and Post:Ballet. His undocumented status and culture inspire the dances he has choreographed. “I use my art form and my status to show who I am, and being told that I am not part of this community and that I don’t belong has made me work even harder to show people that I am worth it.”
Watch dancing a at video www.sfchronicle.com/ of Gabriel Mata theregulars. The Regulars is a photo and video column offering a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people in the Bay Area, caught in activities of modern urban life.