© 2024 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Urban 15 Marches To Its Own Beat

Steve Gilmore

Urban 15 is 100 dancers in bizarre, lit-from-within costumes marching and dancing at the insistent beat of dozens of drummers. Best known from their parade participation, Urban 15 is like nothing you’ve ever seen.

"We like to poke your imagination," says Music and Media Director George Cisneros, who also talked about what the dancers wear, and why it's significant.

"This is, we feel, state of the art," Cisneros says. "Taking people in a group of 100, and moving them down the street. And they’re dancing at the same time and playing instruments. This is far beyond some of the so-called contemporary arts scene."

What Urban 15 does makes it one of San Antonio most unusual cultural institutions, but Cisneros’ intent isn’t just to put on a good show.

"We want to create that magnet that brings people back into the creative zone," he says.

Urban 15's purpose is to re-connect formerly artistic San Antonians with their artistic selves, which they've been doing since 1974.

Jack Morgan can be reached at jack@tpr.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii