Amalia Hernández’s ballet will present a gala at the Esperanza Iris Theater

The Mexican Folkloric Ballet of Amalia Hernández, directed by Salvador López, will be presented this April 4 and 5 at the Esperanza Iris City Theater, with a special gala that includes choreographic paintings representative of various regions of the country, including the deer y Party in Jalisco and Veracruzas well as emblematic pieces that reflect the identity and folklore of the country.

For López, performing at the Esperanza Iris, an emblematic space in Mexico City, is important because it is a theater with history that allows them to reach a larger audience, like other venues, such as the Palace of Fine Arts and the Chapultepec Castle.

“The Esperanza Iris City Theater has been for many years one of the places where ballet has managed to have seasons. It is true that they are short, but we always try to have a presence in this space, which is celebrating 108 years of life and where dance partners and popular and artistic expressions such as Vicente Fernández and Juan Gabriel have performed.”

In an interview, the director of the company expressed that the gala will perform pieces that are not danced in the Palace of Fine Arts: “It is a program with different choreographies by Amalia Hernández that we have put back on stage.

“In the first part, it is presented The Mayanswhich is a choreography inspired by the Popol Vuh, which was multi-awarded in the 60s and 70s. It is a work with choirs and impressive costumes and lighting. We also have Warrior dances like Ladybug Maria, the Tlacuacherain which the choir participates. We will present the Mixtec syrup, National Pinotepadances and choreographies that connect with the public and give balance to the program. Of course we include the dances of Jalisco, that of the deer, Carnival party in Tlacotalpanthat this rounds out the program in a very important way.”

The program establishes links between pre-Hispanic tradition and European influence, which exposes the way in which some typical dances as we know them have been constructed, regarding the commemoration of Holy Week.

Regarding the group’s 75th anniversary, Salvador López announced that this year they will hold a National Dance Meeting with companies from all over the country. A documentary titled Paris 1961because on May 11 of that year, Amalia Hernández’s Ballet Folklorico de México won “the Nations Prize and is considered on that date the best company in the world.

“We will also have a short film that refers to the internal life of the company, how the dancers arrive from the province, how they audition. And we have a project that has been a struggle for some years, which is to offer free performances in the squares and spaces of the Mexican Republic, places where people cannot access theaters or do not have the economic opportunity to see a show. So, we are working with the sponsors,” López indicated.

Amalia Hernández’s artistic vision, according to her grandson, consisted of transforming traditional dances into great stage shows, combining rigorous anthropological research with contemporary choreographic language.

He indicated that the group is currently carrying out research on Campeche and pieces from Guerrero such as The tlacololeroswhich dates back to pre-Hispanic times. “We are always looking for different regions to find the most attractive and that is a reference for regional cultures and can be transferred to the Palace of Fine Arts,” he explained.

Over more than seven decades, the group has developed an extensive choreographic repertoire based on research into the country’s traditions, rituals, music and popular dances, with the aim of preserving and disseminating Mexico’s cultural heritage on the world’s stages.

Amalia Hernández’s Ballet Folklorico de México will be presented on April 4 and 5 at 6 p.m. at the Esperanza Iris City Theater (Donceles 36, Centro Historico).