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Home delivery plus 2021 SeRIeS BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO DE AMALIA HERNÁNDEZ PREMIERING FRI, FEB 26, 8pm (ET) STREAMING ON DEMAND THROUGH THU, MAR 4, 11:59pm (ET) Program LOS MAYAS (BALLET) This ballet is based on several legends taken from Es una coreografía basada en los libros sagrados the sacred books of Mayans: the Popol Vuh and the de los mayas, el Popol Vuh y el Chilam Balam, en Chilam Balam. The main character is Xtabay, the este ballet se combinan tres leyendas: la leyenda beautiful goddess of hunting, who also seduces de Xtabay, diosa de la caza, quien seduce y caza a and hunts men; another legend is that of the Three sus víctimas, llevándolas al Bosque Sagrado; la Princely Brothers, one of whom disappears myster­ leyenda de los Tres Príncipes Hermanos, donde uno iously and thereby incites his other two brothers to de ellos desaparece misteriosamente, y la leyenda take a terrible vengeance on the world. Finally, there de Nic­Te, hechicera que con sus mitos devuelve el is legend of Nic­Te, a mortal woman whose role is to amor perdido. compel the return of a departed lover. SONES ANTIGUOS DE MICHOACÁN The first created by Amalia Hernández, this folkloric El primer ballet folklórico creado por Amalia ballet honors the province of Michoacán and its dis­ Hernández. Michoacán es una de las provincias que tinct style that brings together elements of various se disputan la supremacía dentro de la música y popular musical and dance styles. This brief mosaic danza popular mexicana. Este breve mosaico begins with a Michoacán jarabe, one of the most empieza con la versión michoacana de jarabes, traditional song forms of the mariachi genre, which los cuales con sus similitudes de jota y zarabanda evokes the jota and zarabanda (Spanish dances and (danzas y cantes españoles) nos indican los signos songs) that define the style. inconfundibles de su mestizaje. More Info, Series Sales, and Donations: WashingtonPerformingArts.org 1 LA REVOLUCIÓN (BALLET) The Revolution of 1910 was the cause of great social La Revolución de 1910 fue la causa de grandes changes and produced the real integration of the cambios sociales y produjo la integración real de la Mexican nationality. This ballet is dedicated to the nacionalidad mexicana. Este ballet está dedicado a soldaderas, women who fought and had a decisive las “soldaderas,” mujeres que combatieron y que role in the Revolution by following the men into war. tuvieron un papel determinante en la Revolución al seguir a sus hombres en la guerra. FIESTA EN TLACOTALPAN Tlacotalpan is a region located in the south of the Tlacotalpan es una localidad ubicada en el sur este state of Veracruz, famous for the celebration of del estado de Veracruz, famosa por su fiesta de la the Virgin of Candelaria. This celebration is held in Virgen de la Candelaria. La celebración gira alrede­ the main square, where musicians and fandango dor de los torneos de fandangos que culminan con dancers are presented. The Mojigangas are huge la aparición de enormes figuras de personajes que figures representing living residents and legends salen a bailar con el fin de expresar los sentimientos, of the village. In the midst of it, Caribbean music críticas y leyendas del pueblo: las famosas “mojigan­ is played with congas (drums), as in a Mardi Gras gas.” Este Ballet intercala música del Caribe con celebration parade. tambores congas como en época de carnaval. HUAPANGO DE MONCAYO This symphonic work was composed by José Pablo Obra sinfónica compuesta por José Pablo Moncayo. Moncayo. It was first performed by the Symphony Fue estrenada el 15 de agosto de 1941 en el Palacio Orchestra of Mexico, under the direction of Carlos de Bellas Artes, interpretada por la Orquesta Chávez, on August 15, 1941, at the Palace of Fine Sinfónica de México bajo la dirección de Carlos Arts. It is a tribute to Amalia Hernández through Chávez. Un homenaje a Amalia Hernández a través different choreographic adaptations of her work. de diferentes adaptaciones coreográficas de su obra. DANZÓN NEREIDAS Written by Amador Pérez Torres in 1932, this piece Compuesto por Amador Pérez Torres en 1932, este became one of the most popular in Mexico. The danzón se convertiría en uno de los más populares Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández de México. El Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia use it to bring a warm surprise to the public. Hernández lo utiliza para brindarle una cálida sorpresa a su público. 2 Program notes “A society is defined as much by how it comes to Mexico City, the city where I have lived for the greater terms with its past as by its attitude toward the future: part of my adult life, inspired by that first trip in my its memories are no less revealing than its aims.” youth. In non­pandemic times, the ensemble still performs—three times a week since the late ’50s— —Octavio Paz, Mexican poet/ for locals and tourists alike at the Palace. 1990 Nobel Prize–winner in Literature The Ballet Folklórico de México was founded in 1952, The Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández with just eight dancers, by Amalia Hernández and is a living display of Mexico’s ancestral past, diverse is still going strong with 200+ dancers, under the present, and transformative future. This transborder direction of her grandson. For decades, the company presentation is an ode to the centuries­old symbiotic has transformed regional folk dances into visually relationship between Mexico and the United States, arresting, sleekly choreographed, theatrically savvy the 36+ million Mexican Americans in the U.S., and set pieces. the communities throughout the Americas that share One of Mexico’s most influential women in Mexico, voices, customs, and cultures. Doña Amalia did not escape controversy in convert­ As I prepared this program note for this ground­ ing folk dances into stylized, theatrical dance suites. breaking presentation of our beloved Ballet, I fondly That said, she dedicated her life to researching her remembered the first time that I saw them perform country’s Indigenous, African, and Spanish roots— in Mexico City. It was in the late ’80s, and I was a thousands of years of history—and spreading them, teenage, Latina suburban kid from Bethesda, MD, on through dance, to a global audience. The company’s my first visit to one of the planet’s oldest and most repertoire includes over 40 ballets in all, from more cos mopolitan cities, in the Palacio de Bellas Artes than 60 regions of Mexico’s vastly diverse 32 states. (Palace of Fine Arts), eagerly awaiting the show’s Since its first U.S. performance in Chicago in the start. In this splendid art nouveau, white­marble mid­’50s, the company has toured 80 countries to palace sur rounded by immense murals by Mexican function as a mix of nationalist image­maker, cultural artists such as Diego Rivera and the indigenous ambassador, and stage attraction. And now, via this Zap otec painter Rufino Tamayo, the Tiffany stained­ online Home Delivery Plus program, the company glass curtain depicting Mexico’s iconic volcanos went continues its legacy of cultural outreach, throughout up to reveal a lone dancer performing the Yaqui Deer Washington, D.C., and around the world. Dance. —Cristina King Miranda This dance recalls the hunting rites of the Yaqui Born in Madrid and raised in Wash­ people of northern Mexico and their cosmic vision. ington, D.C., to a bicultural couple The dancer wears rattles around his ankles made (Puerto Rican/Texan), Cristina King from butterfly cocoons, honoring the insect world, Miranda is a Fulbright García Robles and rattles from the hooves of deer around his waist, scholar, businesswoman, cultural to honor the many deer who have died. matchmaker, and curator of perform­ ing arts and music with 25 years I was blown away by the stunning costumes, an of experience in the field. She has curated and developed explosion of hues and patterns: emerald and numerous large­scale cultural events, including the fuchsia in geometric shapes and floral designs, Bicentenary Celebration of the Independence of Mexico pulsating horns and tautly strung guitars, harps and several editions of the Día de los Muertos/Day of and violins, sombreros and headdresses, and drilled the Dead parade in Mexico City. Cristina has served ranks of dancers whirling in each other’s arms. as a programmer for the Plaza Condesa Theater, as artistic and executive director of Mexico City’s multi­ Little did I know that 12 years later, my first show disciplinary Festival de México en el Centro Histórico, ever as a fledgling arts producer—as Washington and as a consultant for FONCA (National Fund for Culture Performing Arts Society’s Latino Programming and Art), as well as Director of Development and Special Director—would be presenting the ensemble at Projects for the U.S.­Mexico Fund for Culture and Deputy Lisner Auditorium. And, later, that the son of Amalia Director of Cultural Promotion for Mexico’s Ministry of Hernández would become one of my mentors in Foreign Relations. 3 ballet folklórico de méxico de amalia hernández In 1952, Amalia Hernández made the decision to form Among the successful choreographies that were part her own dance company. Her experience as a dancer, of the program were: Los Niños del Sol, Antiguos teacher, and choreographer, acquired at the Mexican sones de Michoacán, El Cupidito, Fiesta Veracruzana, Academy of Dance, motivated her to create a small Los Quetzales, La Danza del Venado, and Navidad en dance workshop that began with just eight members. Jalisco. This small group, called “Modern Ballet of Mexico,” The result obtained in Chicago gave the folklore began to work sporadically in the Chopin Hall, making company another dimension.

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