The following is a collection
of our most popular works. In addition to those listed here, Grandeza
Mexicana will be debuting five new choreographies in 2006: Arriba Jalisco:
A Gritos y Sombrerazos; Siete Momentos de Vida (Yucatan); Michoacan:
En Vivo y A Todo Color; De Cara al Mar (Veracruz); and La Guerra Florida (Aztec).
Information on those will be listed here in the coming months.
SONES ANTIGUOS (Michoacan)
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Sones Antiguos (old
traditional songs) are influenced by the Spanish Jota and Sarabanda. They
begin with the Sonajas, or rattle dances, and continue with Jarabes and the
Diana. The inspiration for the Sonaja dances came to Amalia Hernandez from
watching children play, with such joy and excitement, with a rattle. She
combined this early concept with formal ballet technique and created her
first Ballet Folklorico de Mexico choreography. The movements in these
pieces are joyful and free, presented here in a theatrical style. The
ballet concludes with the Danza de los Viejitos (Dance of the Old Men), a
comic piece involving intricate footwork which is
traditionally performed by young men wearing handmade masks in homage to the
elders of the community. These traditional dances can still be seen during
the celebration to the Virgen de Acahuato, the patron saint, celebrated
every 2nd of February and during the Feria de Apatzingan.
Primera Sonaja
Tercer Sonaja
Primer Jarabe
Segundo Jarabe
Tercer Jarabe
La Diana
Viejitos
SOMOS NORTEÑOS! (Nuevo Leon)
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These choreographies,
developed by Jose Vences, come alive- energizing the stage as Norteño music
dances in your ear. The music, costumes, and choreographies are drawn from
multiple influences, namely the European polkas, the sound of the accordion,
cowboy-inspired movements, and complex footwork.
La Revolcada
Choreographed by Elias Roldan and Porfirio Vidal
Viva Linares
Cafe Roma
El Circo
SONES CALENTANOS (Guerrero)
It was the California
Gold Rush that brought travelers from South America to Acapulco harbor for
fresh water and supplies, bringing with them their music, culture and
dance. The result is a rich mix of Mexican and Chilean influences,
including the traditional use of a handkerchief as a simple way of
communicating between dance partners- a male dancer, for instance, would
twirl his handkerchief to indicate to his partner to come closer. In Sones
Calentanos, this communication is taken to a new level, where the stylized
handkerchief movement requires an intricate coordination between the body,
the feet and the hand. This style of dance also works to capture the
romantic essence of its cultural
origins, and embodies a refined sensuality.
Sones Calentanos are a
reflection of the varied styles of dance that Mr. Vences has studied
throughout his career, and are employed here to create a visually dynamic
and electric presentation.
La Zamba
El Arrancazacate
El Toro Rabon
Si Te Vas, Te Vas
FIESTA EN TLACOTALPAN (Veracruz)
This tropical region
has developed the beautiful musical form known as Son Jarocho. The famous
"walking harp" is one of the principal instruments along with the requinto
and jarana. Decimas are often the lyrics heard, which are poems of ten line
stanzas, declaring the greatness of Veracruz, the beauty of its women or
picaresque comments on everyday life. The women wear white costumes
reminiscent of Valencia or Andalucia, complete with the classic rebozo
(shawl), fan and black embroidered apron. The men wear the guayabera shirt,
and the sombrero de cuatro picos (straw hat of four indentations). In
Tlacotalpan, the Fiesta de la Candelaria, is dedicated to the Virgen de la
Candelaria, patron of the city. These festivities include parades with the
Mojigangas (procession of giant figures) in a two-week celebration, better
known
as Carnival. In this ballet, Jose Vences restages some of Amalia Hernandez's
most popular dances from this region.
La Morena
With special guest Viviana Basanta Hernandez
El Pajaro Carpintero
El Zapateado Veracruzano
El Coco
La Sarna y el Negrito del Batey
CORAZON DE VENADO (Nayarit)
In the Huichol
culture, the ceremonies and rituals draw from the belief that the deer is a
magical being, a precious symbol of sustenance and fertility. The Huichol
live with a deep appreciation for their Mother Earth, and in the first
sequence, the men of the village dance in circles, stomping their feet to
awaken her and receive the upcoming sacrifice, rain and seeds. The Shaman
of the village directs two young hunters, pure of heart, out on a long
journey in search of the sacred deer. Once captured, the deer is sacrificed
and the blood of the deer in spilled and spread over the ground representing
fertilization in preparation for planting. This, it was believed,
would bring a good harvest and fertility for the village.
Next begins the
Harvest, which is a reflection of the campesino (peasant) life of the
Huichol Indians. The ceremony of Tatei Neirra (Dance of Our Mother Earth)
is a celebration of the collection of the first fruits of the season. The
Huichol saw these offerings as a way to communicate with the gods and dance
as a vital form of prayer.
Danza de Virgenes (Dance of the Maidens),
traditionally danced by the young women of the village, is also a form of
ritual. In Danza de Tsikuri or Danza de Ojos de Dios (Dance of the God's
Eyes), both men and women dance with large ojos de Dios to give thanks
for a plentiful harvest.
The second part of the
ballet begins with the migration of the Huichol Indians from the rugged
Sierras into the towns in search of work. Colonization by Spain brought
about a blending of Spanish and Indian blood, forming a Mestizo culture, and
this second set of dances choreographed by Jose Vences are a stylized
interpretation of mestizo life. The dance of El Buey (the Ox), presents
mestizo men sharpening their machetes and preparing for work as a romance
begins between a Huichol girl and a mestizo man. In La Violinera we see
their love blossom, with the dance ending as they elope, and in El Gallito
(the Rooster) the couple is reunited with their family and friends. El
Jarabe Nayarita completes this trio of dances, with the men using their
machetes in a daring game of agility and courage, and the town celebrating
the beginning of a new love and the end of a plentiful harvest in the
same spirit as earlier generations of Huicholes.
El Ritual
Los Campesinos
Danza de Gracias
Los Ojos de Dios
El Buey
La Violinera
El Gallito
El Jarabe Nayarita
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CORRE POR CINQUENTA (Chiapas)
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Chiapas, known for its
diverse landscapes of tropical jungles, dense forests, and white sandy
beaches, is an intriguing blend of monumental archeological sites, colonial
towns and indigenous cultures. The dances of Corre Por Cinquenta, created
by Jose Vences, capture this diversity with glittering skirts, dazzling
colors, and playful choreographies based on folktales from the region. One
dance, El Jabali, tells the story of a group of beaming Chiapanecas who try
to protect an adorable warthog from the village hunters. Other dances bring
to life romantic overtures set to marimba music, of a pair of roosters who
fight for the attention of their mate, and of romance in everyday village
life. The name Corre Por Cinquenta refers to the light-hearted nature of
these dances, using an old Mexican saying that invites you, the audience, to
join the fun 'for fifty-cents.'
Oye la Marimba
El Jabalí
El Gallito
Corre por Cincuenta
Featured dancers: Oye
la Marimba: Ralph Valpuesta and Suemy Cortes; El Gallito: Jesus Mejia and
Porfirio Vidal
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BAILES DE JALISCO (Jalisco)
Bold and expressive,
the dances of Jalisco embody the spirit of Mexico. Set to mariachi music,
with powerful zapateado and strong faldeo, Jalisco is a symbol of Mexico's
vivid beauty. The costumes of these dances are closely tied to Jalisco's
capital, Guadalajara, where the men proudly wore charro outfits complete
with silver buttons and the sombreros. The women typically wore the
Ranchera, a colorful dress with ribbons and lace, or at times the China
Poblana, considered as the national costume of Mexico, covered in bright
sequins with the emblem of the eagle on the front.
In this piece, Amalia
Hernandez created a work that reflected the festive and joyful spirit of the
Tapatio people. It is a lasting emblem of Mexican pride and it is with
great enthusiasm that we
conclude our program with this popular region.
La Culebra
El Tranchete
El Son de La Negra
El Jarabe Tapatio
THE
MAYAS
