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Jalisco
The state of Jalisco is the land of Charros, Chinas and Mariachis. Since
the last century is has become a symbol of Mexican nationality. The
Charros of Jalisco are known for their high spirits and joyous grasping
of life. Jalisco’s folklore captures the soul of Mexico in its sensual
music, refined dances and dazzling costumes. This ballet closes every
performance of the Ballet Folklorico’s Touring Company. It opens with
a Mariachi parade playing lively sones at the start of a fiesta. In the
background is the traditional gazebo found in all the small towns of
Mexico. During the fiesta merry songs and dances, such as The Snake,
El Tranchete, La Negra and El Jarabe Tapatío and the famous Mexican
Hat Dance, are performed. At the end of the performance the dancers
salute the audience, throwing colorful paper streamers to them.
The ballet folklórico de méxico was founded in 1952 by
Amalia Hernandez. The Ballet was initiated by performing a weekly
program on television, sponsored by the Mexican government. Since
1959, it is being permanently presented at the Palace of Fine Arts,
foremost stage for Art Mexico City. The institution has two main artistic
companies called The First Company and the Resident Company:
both alternate tours and performances in Mexico and abroad. They
have already performed more than five thousand presentations. The
music, dance and costume of Mexican folklore united to the talent of
their artists have achieved national and international success.
Amalia hernández (dancer and choreographer) embarked at a
very early age on a never ending quest to rescue the dancing traditions
of Mexico. The vital search became a basic need to reflect not only in
Mexico but the rest of the world, the beauty of the Universe in motion
which started with the pre-Colombian civilizations and grew with the
Hispanic influences of the Viceroyal era up to the popular strength of
the Revolutionary years.
In 1954, Hernández started a series of presentations that credited her
as the Cultural Representative of Mexico to the world at large. The
present time fades before your eyes and thus commences our journey
through the past. The Lords of Heaven and Earth come back to life,
the Jaguars, the Gods born of human flesh, thirty different cultures
that blossomed in centuries once, leaving behind a trail of color
in which Hernández was inspired to create the Ballet Folklorico of
Mexico.
In International success achieved during the first tours and maintained
through the 50 years of incessant artistic endeavors, is always manifested
in the excellence of the productions and serves as a portrait
of Mexico’s folklore in every city that the Company visits around the
world.
This is how, starting from the 1960s, Amalia Hernández and the Ballet
Folklórico of Mexico have developed 40 ballets, composed of 76 folk
dancers. The music, technical perfection, sophisticated wardrobe and
original choreography, create this singular character of the Ballet.
Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico of Mexico have been
distinguished with more than 400 awards in recognition to their
artistic merits.
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