Auditorium Theatre 2021-2022, Issue 2, Ballet Mexico

6 | AUDITORIUM THEATRE :: BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO Photos by BFM and courtesy of Ballet Folklórico de México. Celebrating 70 years of Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández When Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández returns to the Auditorium Theatre in 2022, the renowned company will be commemorating a major milestone: 70 years! Established in 1952 by dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández, the company has been delighting audiences with its vibrant performances for decades. Learn more about what Hernández — along with the company that became her legacy — accomplished throughout her career and how Ballet Folklórico continues to share Mexican folkloric dance with the world, 70 years later. 1917 Amalia Hernández is born in Mexico City. 1920S Hernández’s parents hoped she would become a teacher, but she was always interested in dance. At age 8, she begins studying classical ballet, and her father, a politician, builds a private home dance studio for her. International dancers from the Pavlova Dance Company and the Paris Opera visit her studio as instructors. 1930S At age 17, Hernández joins Mexico’s National School of Dance. Eventually, she began to feel that her classical training, which focused mostly on European dance styles, lacked emotion and spirit. Drawn towards traditional Mexican dance instead, Hernández begins to learn about native dances from different regions of the country. 1947 Hernández creates the Academy of Mexican Dance, where she teaches classes, choreographs new works, and dances. She helps create a new style of dance ( baile folklorico ) that combined formal ballet and Mexican folk dances. 1952 Hernández forms her first company, originally called Ballet Moderno de México. The eight-person troupe performs her original works. 1954 The company performs on television in Mexico for the first time. 1958 At the behest of the Mexican Department of Tourism, the company embarks on its first international tour, visiting Cuba and Canada. The group also travels to Los Angeles and performs at the Mexican National Celebrations.