Ballet Folklorico Brings Dances of Mexico To Civic Center

MUSKOGEE The stunning visuals of Mexican folk dances will come to life on stage when Northeastern State University and the Sequoyah Institute bring Ballet Folklorico Mexico to the Muskogee Civic Center on Thursday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. The show is sponsored by Muskogee Area Arts Council and Muskogee Civic Center.

One of the goals of the Sequoyah Institute is to bring artistic programs from different cultures across the globe to the communities NSU serves, said Megan White, director of the Sequoyah Institute. The spectacular dance company of Ballet Folklorico has undertaken the tremendous task of preserving the regional folk dances of Mexico and serve as multicultural ambassadors as they travel around the world. They will be putting their exceptional skills on display for us in Muskogee.

Ballet Folklorico has been delighting audiences throughout North America for more than 30 years. Carmen and Jesus Avila, a brother and sister dancing phenomenon, founded the company in 1972 and continue to perform with them today. They were subsequently joined by second and third generations of their family.

The troupe has been recognized by U.S. and Mexican officials as one of the most exciting groups presenting authentic regional dances of Mexico. Decked out in traditional regalia featuring spectacular headdresses that reach a jaw-dropping six feet in length, Ballet Folklorico takes its audiences on an exciting tour of Mexico through dance.

Many of the dancers are college students from Mexico, Puerto Rico and from as far as Japan and China. They rigorously practice four to five days a week to maintain the precision and integrity of their dances.

The program includes historic dances from Azteca, Michoacan, Guerrero, Sonora, Jalisco and other regions of Mexico, as well as dances dedicated to the soldaderas, the courageous women who supported and even fought alongside the men during the Mexican Revolution.

Mexico is a land of many faces, with mountains and beaches, desserts and tropical rainforests, uninhabited wilderness and one of the largest cities in the world. Food, music, dress and dance vary from one region to another, and even from village to village. The regional dances reflect the unique tradition of a great country where many groups were physically isolated from one another, yet shared a common language and spirit.

Tickets for Ballet Folklorico Mexico are $20 for adults, $18 for NSU alumni, $16 for NSU employees, $14 for senior citizens, $12 for groups of 10 or more, $10 for students and children, and $5 for NSU students. To purchase tickets, contact the NSU Box Office at 918-458-2075.

Funding for Ballet Folklorico Mexico is provided by the Mid-America Arts Alliance Latino Grant, Oklahoma Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.

2/26/2009

Published: 2009-02-26 00:00:00