[NoHo Arts District, CA] – The renowned Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández will make their Soraya debut March 14-15, showcasing Mexico’s regional beauty through mariachi, folkloric dance, and traditional arts.
Founded in 1952 by the then 35-year-old dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández, the troupe has become a global ambassador for Mexican culture. Now 83, Hernández and her dancers celebrate decades of exceptional performances. The group’s acclaim led to their residency at the Ballet in the Palace of Fine Arts since 1959. Currently, the Company is directed by Amaliá’s grandson, Salvador López López, and her youngest daughter, Viviana Basanta Hernández.
The March 14-15 performances are part of The Soraya’s 10th-annual Hecho en Las Américas Series, which highlights Latin American artists and audiences worldwide. In addition to Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández, the 24-25 Series included Aida Cuevas, Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México, Leyendas del Mariachi, Nochebuena: A Christmas Spectacular, Chucho Valdès, and Arturo Sandoval.
When:
March 14 | 8PM
March 15 | 1PM
Where:
Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya)
18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330
Tickets:
818-677-3000 | www.TheSoraya.org
The Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández Program (subject to change):
• Los Matachines: This dance takes place during religious celebrations. There are many variants of this dance in different regions of the country but there are similarities as well, such as colorful costumes, flower crowns, ribbons, feathers, glass beads, mirrors, rattles, and the main accessories: the bow and arrow, fundamental weapons for the survival of the inhabitants of the arid and semi-arid zones of Mexico.
• Guerrero: The cultural richness of the state of Guerrero is one of the most extensive in Mexico, internationally recognized for its delicate handicrafts and exquisite textile embroidery. A deeply rooted cultural expression in Guerrero people is dance, which accompanies celebrations, social complaints and represents the flora and fauna of the province.
• La Revolución: This ballet is dedicated to the “soldaderas,” also called Adelitas, women who had a decisive role in the Mexican Revolution, as they took their lives and few belongings to the war scenes. In quick contrast, the aristocrats are seen in a joyous celebration, when a group of rebels breaks into the party, prepared to fight and march towards their destiny: the Revolution.
• Charreada: One of the most deeply rooted traditions in Mexico is the Charrería, which arises from the equestrian and livestock activities around the country. Declared Intangible Heritage by UNESCO, Charrería is considered an art and discipline where men and women demonstrate their courage with great feats that took place in the old farms of Mexico.
• Fiesta en Tlacotalpan: Spanish culture has a strong influence on Jarocha dance and music, which is why there is percussive footwork in every choreography, a distinctive move of flamenco. This fusion can be appreciated during the celebration of the Virgen de la Candelaria, where the streets are filled with mojigangas, fandango dancers, jaraneros, and beautiful women who wear the typical Veracruz costume.
• Boda en la Huasteca: This dance tells the story of a young man about to get married. On his way to church, he meets a woman who was getting water in a nearby river. He seduces her and then continues on his way to the wedding. Meanwhile, the bride, accompanied by her friends, dances a prenuptial dance. When the groom finally arrives, the couple and the guests are dancing when a disgruntled rival appears and challenges the young man to a machete fight. The festive atmosphere turns tragic when the groom kills the lover. But in the end, joy and love conquer death, and the party goes on.
• La danza del Venado: The Deer Dance is an emblematic representation of the state of Sonora and is considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The Deer Dance is a ritual performed before the hunting expeditions and reproduces the movements of the prey with amazing fidelity.
• Fiesta en Jalisco: The state of Jalisco is the land of the Charros, the Chinas, and the Mariachi, powerful symbols of Mexican identity. Pure Mexican culture is shown in the brilliant folklore of Jalisco, its music, its vigorous and refined dances, and in its dazzling and multicolored costumes.
About Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
Amalia Hernández was a dancer and choreographer, and founder of the Ballet Folklórico de México in 1952. From a very young age, she began a long journey through Mexican culture that would lead her to rescue the traditional dances around Mexico. She managed to project to the world the beauty of our country through movement, from pre-Columbian cultures and Spanish influences to the revolutionary times.
With her first performances in 1952, she obtained public recognition as a cultural representative of Mexico. Her great success established the Ballet in the Palace of Fine Arts as its permanent venue since October 11, 1959.
With more than 30 million spectators and countless recognitions, Amalia Hernández’s artistic legacy remains valid thanks to the more than 120 original choreographies with great technical difficulty, elaborate typical costumes, and first-rate artists, consolidating the Ballet as the best dance company in the world in its genre.
About The Hecho en Las Américas Series
The 2024-25 season marks The Soraya’s tenth year presenting the Hecho en Las Américas series, showcasing a performing arts center dedicated to serving Latin American artists and audiences from around the world.
“The Valley and greater Los Angeles are home to some of the most vibrant Spanish-speaking communities,” stated Thor Steingraber, The Soraya’s Executive and Artistic Director. “While this has been true for decades, we recognize that many arts organizations have not fully served them. I believe The Soraya is the only organization in the region to offer an entire series—Hecho en Las Américas—dedicated to the diverse music and dance forms of Mexico, Central America, and South America. We are proud to serve the nearby communities and also celebrate that entire families travel great distances to attend our performances.”
The 2024-25 Hecho en Las Américas series features nine performances, commencing with Aida Cuevas’s celebration of Juan Gabriel on October 12. The series also includes two renditions of Disney Pixar’s Coco Live-to-Film concerts on October 26 and 27, featuring Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México; two performances by Leyendas del Mariachi on November 9; The Soraya’s Nochebuena: A Christmas Spectacular on December 7 and 8; two performances by Ballet Folklorico de México de Amalia Hernández on March 14 and 15; and Chucho Valdés: Irakere 50 with Special Guest Arturo Sandoval on February 20, 2025.
About the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya)
The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for The Performing Arts (The Soraya) is an award-winning, state-of-the-art 1,700-seat theatre designed and built by HGA Architects and Engineers and opened in January 2011 as the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC). Through a transformative gift by Younes and Soraya Nazarian, the venue was renamed The Soraya in 2017. Vibrant programming has served to establish The Soraya as the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley and its 1.8 million residents and as one of the top arts and culture venues in Southern California. Since its inaugural season, The Soraya has presented over 500 artists and companies across the genres of music, dance, theater, and film and is a highly in-demand location for filming and rental events.
The Soraya’s 2024-25 Season boldly advances the expansive sound of orchestras both traditional and contemporary; the freestyle vibe of jazz; an array of dance luminaries, and a cultural bounty drawn from the musical well of global voices. The Soraya continues its vigorous commitment to innovating, excelling, and amplifying access by offering a wide variety of performances that reflect Los Angeles’ many distinctive communities and featuring new and original work and artists from the local region as well as nationally and around the world.
Located on the vibrant campus of California State University Northridge (CSUN), The Soraya and the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication share an integral link that enhances student access and opportunities in the arts and performing arts. A $5 million contribution from record producer and former California Lieutenant Governor Mike Curb was pivotal in ensuring the completion and opening of The Soraya in 2011. For his founding support and in acknowledgment of the integral relationship between the Mike Curb College and The Soraya, Mike Curb is recognized as one of The Soraya’s Cornerstone Benefactors. This partnership fosters academic and artistic excellence, elevating the talents and the future growth of CSUN’s students through master classes, student tickets, concerts of student ensembles, and students appearing alongside renowned artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Aida Cuevas, and Martha Graham Dance Company.