Education
ON STAGE with……. Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
ON STAGE with……Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
Photo’s by: Ramon Hernández
Entertaining San Antonio audiences for the twelfth time Ballet Folkólrico de México
de Amalia Hernández graced us with another unforgettable performance this past weekend. Thanks to ARTS San Antonio for bringing back the dynamic choreography, vibrant costumes and a cast of 65-70 dancers whose artistic and physical excellence wow the audience from the Matachines opening scene to the gaiety of the Jalisco finale. Accompanying the dancers on stage are 15 musicians and a Mariachi band that are part of the world famous and highly lauded Ballet Folklórico group.
Delia Isurza-Rodriguez, Director of Administration and Education for ARTS SA inititally introduced Viviana Hernández daughter of the late Amalia Hernández and Artistic Director of Ballet Folklórico de Mexico to the Edgewood Fine Arts Academy in the mid 90’s when I served as Dance Facilitator. The Academy high school dance students and the children of the community were given opportunities to participate in master dance sessions led by Viviana. She and members of the troupe re-introduced and educated the children of the community in folklóric dance and Mexican culture. We had the pleasure of participating with Viviana for a couple of years and always enjoyed the evening performances that made it possible for dance students to be enriched in Folklórico dance and experience theatrical venues. Thank you Delia for making this happen for the children of Edgewood. Delia Rodriguez, has been working with ARTS SA for 16 years. She started working with ARTS SA during her senior year of high school and she remembers her first big production she was involved with at the Municipal Auditorium. The stage play “Jesus Christ Superstar” was in town and Delia couldn’t believe that a big group of nun’s were protesting (loudly) outside of the auditorium.
I was greeted by Janelle Avon, a former dancer that now serves as publicity coordinator and Layla Maldonado technical production manager as I sat and interviewed Viviana. The artistic director states that a dancer should have an education in dance and start at a point where the body and its movement capabilities is the focus. Viviana’s future plan is to open a Dance Education School per se here in San Antonio where the curriculum includes and is not limited to: contemporary dance, barre and center work and head to toe (zapateado) techniques. Technique being the main focus of study. In July, Viviana spends a month in England teaching contemporary dance at one of the universities then returns home to Mexico City for company rehearsals 3-4 times per week.
Close to curtain time I was pleased to see children and teen’s come in for the performance. Mr. Don Nuñez, Folklórico dance instructor at the Edgewood Fine Arts Academy walks in with his dance students who seem to be enthused about the show.
Edgewood Fine Arts Dance Students
Ballet Folklórico de México fun trivia: the company has presented 15,000 performances, danced before 22 million people, made 50 US visits, completed more than 100 international tours, visited 80 countries and more than 300 cities, 3,500 dancers have passed through the company, 36,000 pairs of shoes have been used, 45,000 pieces of wardrobe have been used, Amalia Hernández has created 100+ choreographies for the company.
After San Antonio the production takes them to Austin followed by a West Coast tour including Las Vegas. May God grant them traveling mercies.
An old dance teacher once told me that a dancer who experiences different forms of dance enriches their life as a dancer and a person. Not sure about that but I do appreciate and see the beauty in all forms of dance and life.
Remember an Old Dancer never dies they just hop from Barre to Barre…….with that, till next time see you
ON STAGE .
Enjoy a Romantic Evening of Music with El Bolero II
El Bolero II is a musical program that promises to seduce its listeners with an array of romantic ballads.
And as Patricia Pérez-Lemppaf, the show’s artistic director says, “However, remember that falling in love and being in love can sometimes end in heartache. So be prepared for this music to capture your soul and the lyrics transcend you and make you reminisce about a past or present love.
“So whether you’re in love, have fallen out of love or you’re in the process of conquering a sweetheart, the bolero will enlighten your heart and soul with visions of passionate love.”
In addition, the program is also educational in that those in attendance will be treated to several different forms of the genre which originated in 18th century Spain as a Spanish/ Africa dance with a very slow rumba style rhythm that evoked erotic feelings or communicated love between dance partners. In the Western World, the slow sensuous love song in Cuba evolved from a Caribbean genre known as trova in the eastern city of Santiago during the late 19th century, spread to Mexico and other Latin American countries in the mid-20th century and finally reached the United States where many boleros were translated into English and released as “What A Difference a Day Makes,” “You Belong to My Heart” and “A Taste of Me” to name a few.
According to Lemppaf, this Alizanza Latinoamericana musical program will present variations such as the bolero ranchero, as immortalized b Pedro Infante, the tango bolero as made famous by Carlos Gardel and Libertad Lamarque; and the contemporary bolero most recently popularized by Luis Miguel and El Tri-O.
Some of the performers include Emma Hernández, one of the best known vocalists during the 1950s and early ‘60s orchestra era when she was the featured vocalist for the Emilio Caceres Orchestra, also Marielos Duarte and Malú Gil, both Mexico City natives, who have sung with numerous trios and mariachis for as long as they can remember. Both chilangas started out performing at family gatherings eventually singing at public functions.
Other vocalists are María Betancourt, Isidro Manjarres, Jaimé Vidal, Broadway Joe, Paul Ford, James Hickey, Homero Zapata plus the mother-son duo of Ruby and Dennis Castell.
Some will perform with music tracks and others will be backed up by a trio of musicians.
Willie Zulaica, a Tejano music pioneer whose resume includes playing sax with Joe Bravo y Los Sunglows, Ruco Villarreal, O.B.G. Band de Rocky Hernández and is presently with Canela, is the show’s musical director.
Zapata of Los Internacional Hermanos Zapata not only sings, but also plays accordion and drums. As a drummer, he performed and recorded with Toby Torres and the internationally famous Flaco Jiménez from the late 1960s to 1976.
José Ramiro Pérez, Francesca Anderson and Richard Alvarado will also delight the audience with their ultra-smooth dance steps as they displayed how to dance to this beautiful music.
Alvarado’s credits are heading a seven year program with the San Antonio Library where he teaches salsa and merengue and where his busiest time of the year is during Hispanic Heritage Month.
They may not be household names, but they all sing and dance from the heart; and the fact that they can share their God-given talent is thanks to the Alianza Latinoamericana who recognizes their gift and provides the opportunity and venue for them to showcase their voice and their moves in this tribute to the bolero.
This production could not be possible without the volunteer help of Dalia Guzmán, artistic coordinator; Eduardo Velázquez, set designer; and the support of Street Talk Magazine’s Jaimé Vidal, La Prensa publisher Tino Durán and supporters such as Félix Padrón, Frank Villani, Juan Hernández, Johnny Hernández, Lissa Bengtson, Valerie Arrieta and Vanessa L. Jenkins, also Gabriel Sánchez and Dora Olvera.
The participation of all these people says volumes about this non-profit organization, which, with the exception of the Office of Cultural Affairs, has yet to receive a cent in funding therefore everyone is encouraged to attend and fill the venue to demonstrate why Alianza Latinoamericana is worthy to be considered as a serious contender for funding.
“Su Majestad – El Bolero II” – emceed by Andres Ricardo Morín — takes place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 4th at the International Folk Culture Center located on the Our Lady of the Lake campus at 411 S.W. 24th Street.
Anyone can save two dollars by purchasing their advance tickets for $5 and they are available at the International Folk Culture Center until July 24. Furthermore, patrons can also enjoy the delicious taste
For reservations or more information call (210) 431-3922, 385-3877 or 378-2970. One can also e-mail the organization at info@alianza-latinoamericana.org.
This is what makes me MAD as
Here is what was published by ThinkProgress.com
96 Year-Old Latino Former Arizona Governor Detained By Border Patrol In 100 Degree Heat
By Ian Millhiser on Jul 6, 2012 at 12:00 pm
This man is Raúl Héctor Castro. He is 96 years old, a former Arizona governor, and a former United States Ambassador to El Salvador, Bolivia and Argentina. He was born in Mexico, and is a United States citizen.
Last month he was stopped by U.S. border patrol agents after residual radiation from a medical procedure he’d recently undergone triggered an alarm at a checkpoint in Tubac, AZ. The 96 year-old heart patient was then forced to exit his vehicle in the 100 degree Arizona heat and wait in a tent in a business suit, even as his companion begged the agents not to subject an elderly man to such treatment.
This is the third time the former governor and ambassador has been detained by border control. The first occurred years ago while he was repairing his own fence and agents stopped him and asked to see his work card — although they eventually desisted after Castro pointed out a sign by his farm entrance that read “Judge Castro.” The second occurred years later in San Diego, although that encounter ended shortly after someone recognized Castro and said “Governor, how are you?
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Now I know we will forever be un-fortunately living with a few Bad politicians that dictate their personal views into the law including those in our Supreme Court
However some of you in law enforcement need to go back to school and get a formal education! I have myself been in meetings where these big fat politicians are trying to come up with rules and regulations, and when someone like me jumps in with “Are You Crazy” They simply say “Well at least we are not the one’s on the street having to enforce our crazy ideas!
This is Racial Profiling at it’s best.
I’m Mad
Eddie
p.s. I hope my friends Dr.Paul Ruiz & Margie don’t read this as I’m having a hard time keeping my blood pressure levels in check.
Against All Odds: Five Latinas obtain degrees in honor of their father
By Araceli Cardenas
This is an open letter to my father, Lazaro Cardenas.
During graduation, there’s always one story or personal journey that encompasses the effort and sacrifice of what graduating with a degree truly represents. It’s never easy because earning a degree requires discipline, courage, perseverance, hard-work, determination and commitment. In some cases, it takes one special person to go beyond the classroom and inspire you to finish against all odds!
This is the case of my father, whose love and guidance inspired his five daughters to earn a degree. Here’s our story!
My youngest sister Nancy graduated from the University of Texas at Brownsville with a Bachelor’s degree in Human & Health Performance on December 19th, 2009. Her accomplishment fulfils my father’s desire and dream to see her graduate in a small town where greater importance was given to raising a family, service to others and devotion to religion versus the pursuit of personal accomplishment and higher education. All equally important however prioritized differently growing up in a traditional home where Eulalia, my mother’s strong Mexican roots governed how her five daughters would be raised.
What makes Nancy’s accomplishment remarkable is that prior to this day my father had witnessed the beginning of his dream come true when he quietly cheered and encouraged his four other daughters to do the same. He did so, leading by example. My father was able to obtain his own law degree from Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law when Latino students were few and far between. He always felt that his own accomplishment was in large part because of his service in the U.S. Air Force, which in turn had given him the financial assistance to attend; and his own father, who felt that the only way out of seasonal migrant work was a degree. So early on, my father allowed my mother to do her part while he secretly pushed and stressed the importance of higher education by guiding each one of his daughters to attend and cross the finish line with a degree.
My father felt this was the only way to succeed in America! So we did, even though there were times when each one of us wanted to quit; we knew that the idea of “throwing in the towel” would be unacceptable. This included my older sisters who juggled their family and job responsibilities in order to find the time to finish what they had started.
Unfortunately, parents are never awarded for their efforts nor are they recognized at any special ceremony. Instead, they watch from a distance with pride as their son or daughter is rewarded. And, they’re hoping that along the way, they did everything they could to help.
So today, on Nancy’s graduation, I’d like to first congratulate my little sister who has the honor to be the last one to make my father’s dream come true. Congratulations Nancy your hard work truly paid off! We’re extremely proud of you. You went on to finish when most would have abandoned the course due to the many times life threw you off course! Not only did you finish, you finished strong by making the Dean’s List! You can’t imagine how proud we all are!
And secondly, I’d like to applaud my father’s leadership who on graduation day will be watching from up above and will feel that his personal sacrifice to guide his family to victory was well worth it!
Dad, you can finally rest in peace, Nancy has carried your torch to the finish line! She fulfilled your dream to have your five daughters all have a degree! You’re the reason we finished. You’re the person behind the degrees — three Masters and two Bachelors. You’re the one whose love and guidance helped each one of us! So on this day, if we could find a way to thank you for the many nights you kept us company while we studied or the many times you helped us understand what we were studying especially when it came to politics and government, or when you bought us every possible book and study aid to help us pass subjects like biology or math.
On this very special day, we the Cardenas Sisters proudly dedicate our degrees that bear your last name in your loving memory. Words only scratch the surface of how much we love and miss you!
Love, your daughters, Adelaida, Alma, Martha, Araceli and Nancy