The personal archive of Raúl Flores Canelo (1929-1992), one of the pillars of Mexican dance in the second half of the 20th century, was donated to the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) by his widow, the nonagenarian dancer and choreographer Magnolia Flowers.
The signing of the notarial document of delivery-reception took place on April 27 in the Dance Department of the highest educational house, at the end of which a conference was offered to detail the details of this collection, which covers the decade of 1960 to 1992, the year of the teacher’s death, and which will be preserved and available for public consultation in the UNAM Historical Archive.
At that event, the then head of Danza UNAM, Evoé Sotelo, also announced that the agency under her charge began the process of receiving another important archive as a donation for that educational institution: that of Waldeen von Falkeinstein Brooke de Zatz, known as Waldeen, one of the pioneers of modern dance in Mexico, along with Anna Sokolow.
According to the former university official, who as of April 30 was replaced by the dancer and choreographer Claudia Lavista, Flores Canelo’s archive gives an account of his legacy as a dancer, choreographer, and costume and set designer.
The teacher was a complete artist. The collection consists of official and personal documents, photographs, drawings, sketches for costumes or sets of his works.
he detailed.
It is made up of 0.45 linear meters of folders with documents, two set and costume drawings, 56 double-letter pieces with sketches and 13 double-letter-size pieces with photos.
He highlighted that this is the second personal file that his administration at Danza UNAM managed. of important figures in the history of dance in Mexico
after receiving the award in 2018 from researcher and critic of the specialty Alberto Dallal.
The archive of Raúl Flores Canelo will enrich the collection of Alberto Dallal Castillo as a testimony in the history of dance, whose documentary value is invaluable for the historiography and research of dance in Mexico, and its incorporation into the UNAM Historical Archive will favor the development of research and studies on university dance in Mexico and other countries. Among its values as documentary heritage, aesthetic, artistic and historical testimonials stand out.
Considered at 98 years old one of the legends of Mexican dance, Magnolia Flores admitted that she does not remember how many documents make up the collection of her husband, founder of the Independent Ballet. It’s a long life and there are several memories
he noted.
Regarding the reason for the donation to the National University, he pointed out that It is one of the institutions with which I was born, I gained experience, it continues and to this day I am very grateful for continuing in this life, and I know that others will continue with the work of the University, which I am grateful for.
.
Collection in exceptional condition
On behalf of the UNAM Historical Archive, Paulina Michel, academic technician of that institution, highlighted the exceptional state of conservation of the Flores Canelo archive, as well as the way in which it is organized; Without specifying a date, she considered that it will be ready for consultation in a while. relatively short
once it is classified according to international standards.
It’s super organized, and that helps a lot, because we’re going to put the finishing touches on it. It’s going to be relatively very simple, due to the order it comes from. The conservation is quite good, it has no fungus, it is not broken or mistreated.
Regarding the donation of Waldeen’s archive, the former dancer and university academic Claudia Cárdenas, who was her daughter-in-law, trusted that the new head of Danza UNAM, Claudia Lavista, will continue with the efforts; She considered that such an archive will enrich the vision of the history of Mexican dance, along with that of Dallal and Flores Canelo.
He specified that it is a small collection, kept in three boxes of dead archives, made up mainly of personal documents of that dancer of American origin, among which her correspondence with plastic artists, musicians and writers of the time, among them Diego, stands out. Rivera and the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, of whom he made the first translation from Spanish to English of Canto general, although it was never published.