Glossary of terms

 

actos

“The Chicano through the eyes of man”

Defined by Valdez and the signature style of El Teatro Campesino, it is a series of short sketches addressing sociopolitical and economic issues faced by Mexican American farm workers. The sketches typically lasted 15 minutes.

Mito

“The Chicano through the eyes of god”

Mito, or Myth, is the culmination of the experiences of man and the mythical stories in Mexican folklore. Through the usage of mythical and fantastical events, the themes that shape Chicano life are expressed in poetry and performance art. Valdez’s work “Dark Root of a Scream” for example.

Corrido

Corridos, or ballads, are an integral piece of Mexican performance art. Corridos incorporate an actor and a singer to tell the story of the text. The combination of the singers vocal technique and the actors expressions and movements push the texts emotional themes to greater heights. This is the trademark style of El Teatro Campesino and evident in Valdez’s La Carpa de los Rasquachis (1973).