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AUDITORIUM THEATRE 2018-19
| September 26 - November 16, 2018
Palacio des Bellas Artes (the Palace of Fine Arts)
in Mexico City in 1959. It was there that the group
performed for President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline
Kennedy in 1962. That same
year, the company also
performed in New York City
for the first time.
Overall, Hernández
created over 80 works for
Ballet Folklórico, drawing
inspiration and incorporating
elements from Mexican
tradition and folklore. It
was especially important to
her to focus on indigenous
dance, which can be seen in pieces like
Ballet Azteca
,
which was inspired by descriptions of indigenous dance
found in codices and reports left written by Aztec monks;
and
Deer Dance
, which was influenced by the traditions
of hunters from the Yaqui region. Hernández said, "The
power of the native dance, the power of these influences
that have come into our days, this is what makes the
folklore so rich. Not just steps, it all has a meaning."
The costumes and sets used by Hernández’ company are
created specifically for Ballet Folklórico, representing the
rich, colorful, and multifaced cultures of Mexico’s different
regions.
Amalia Hernández died in 2000 at the age of 83. She
turned the company over to her daughters, Norma López
Hernández and Amalia Viviana Basante Hernández,
during the later years of her life. Today, her daughters,
along with her grandson, Salvador López López, serve as
the company’s leaders.
Ballet Folklórico de Mexico continues to perform
Hernández’s works, sometimes making updates to the
choreography so that the dances look “more dynamic,
more bright” as Salvador López López explained to the
Chicago Tribune in 2015. This year, the pieces
Fiesta en
Jalisco, Danza del Venado
, and sections in
Ballet Azteca
feature updated choreography.
Amalia Hernández created a long-lasting, vibrant dance
company that brings traditional Mexican dance to
audiences around the world. Don’t miss Ballet Folklórico
de México when the company returns to Chicago in
November!
Ballet Folklórico de Mexico
dancers with John F. Kennedy and
Jacqueline Kennedy.
Fiesta en
Jalisco
Charreada
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia
Hernández performs at the Auditorium Theatre
on November 10-11, 2018.