Ballet Folklorico Comes To The Auditorium Theater

The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University (ATRU) and Ravinia Festival proudly co-present the internationally acclaimed Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández. This vibrant celebration of Mexican culture plays the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Parkway, for two performances, Saturday March 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 14 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 - $65, available by calling (800) 982-2787 or online at ticketmaster.com/auditorium.

"The Auditorium Theatre is delighted to partner with Ravinia Festival to bring the remarkable, authentic and original Ballet Folklórico back to Chicago," said ATRU Board Chairman Mel Katten, who was instrumental in making this partnership occur. "The Auditorium Theatre is the oldest theater in Chicago, and we are very proud to co-present such an elaborate, festive and colorful experience with Ravinia Festival, the oldest outdoor music festival in North America."

"The collaboration with the Auditorium, like our Harris Theater collaborations, is exciting for both institutions, especially as we are co-presenting what will no doubt be one of the highlights of 2010, a year that celebrates two important anniversaries, the 200th anniversary of independence and the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Mexico," said Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman.

In 1952, dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández created Ballet Folklórico de México to "share the beauty of the universe in motion" through Mexican dances from the Pre-Colombian era through the Hispanic Viceroy period and the Revolutionary years. The New York Times declared that the company offers "a fast-paced, entertaining show that can make viewers want to rush right off to Mexico." Ballet Folklórico de México is currently under the artistic direction of Hernández's daughter Norma Lopez, and has been distinguished with more than 200 awards recognizing its artistic merits.

Since Ballet Folklórico's founding, the company has presented more than 15,000 performances before an aggregate audience in excess of 22 million. Hernández's enormous body of work, noted for its brilliant theatricality and passion, was influenced by her deep knowledge and love of traditional folkloric dances. Throughout her life, Hernández regularly refined and renewed her work, a tradition continued today by her family. The result is a recreation of Mexican traditions on stage, preserving the diversity and character found throughout the many regions of Mexico.

Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández Chicago Program

"The Gods" is a dance that depicts a dialogue between man and his Gods as a summary of Aztec theology. Sun, moon, war, flowers, myths, life and death are figuratively transformed into music and dance.

"Guerrero" is a depiction of the hero Vicente Guerrero's warrior-like courage. The dance also portrays "Calandria," a bird whose song is powerful and beautiful, and "El Gusto," a Mexican tap dance performed in the towns of Zirandaro and Altamirano.

"Revolution" is a ballet about the Mexican Revolution of 1910. It is dedicated to soldaderas, the women who supported their men and bore arms with them in the fight for Mexico's liberty. Young, unconcerned European aristocrats dance polkas in a drawing room, and they are broken up by revolutionaries who dance "La Adelita" with the famous capitana Juana Gallo.

"Charreada" includes the traditional "Rope Dance" and "Country Love Dance."

"Tlacotalpan Festivity" is a dance celebrating the Candelaria Virgin in the town of Tlacotalpan. The celebration is characterized by the use of mojigangas, enormous puppets that symbolize different cultural figures and archetypal human characteristics. The music features the sounds of drums such as congas, which are common in the festive carnival season of the Caribbean.

"The Feather Dance" is a ballet of guelaguetza (offering), inspired by the ancient custom of the Zapotec Indians. The performance showcases great agility and the dancer's intricate movements, as they perfectly manipulate richly adorned feather headdresses. This is symbolic of the Zapotec Indians' belief in showing hospitality to guests and respect to governors through the language of music and dance. The ballet also includes a welcoming dance called "Jarabes," which was originated by the Mixtec people and features light and lyrical steps.

"Wedding in the Huasteca" tells a dramatic story of temptation, celebration and rivalry that ends in total splendor but leaves behind a faint memory of a fight to the death.

"Life Like A Game" is a dance that depicts characters controlled by the devil; he handles them as if they are marionettes and manipulates their destinies. Reality and fantasy interact when the devil uses "cupid" and "death" to perform a tangled love story between a bride, her groom and her lover.

"Deer Dance" is part of a rite organized by the Yaqui people in preparation for a hunt. It is said to bring luck and bountiful profit to those who participate.

The performance concludes with "Jalisco," a tribute to a state that since the last century has become a symbol of Mexican nationality. The Charros of Jalisco are known for their high spirits and joyous grasping of life. The ballet opens with a Mariachi parade playing lively songs at the start of a fiesta. Throughout the colorful fiesta, the songs and dances of Jalisco are performed, including "The Snake," "El Tranchete," "La Negra," "El Jarabe Tapatío," and the famous "Mexican Hat Dance."

Performance Schedule and Ticket Information

Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández plays the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Parkway, for two performances, Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 14 at 3 p.m.

Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández tickets are now on sale, and range in price from $30 - $65. For tickets, visit the Auditorium Theatre Box Office at 50 E. Congress Parkway; call Ticketmaster at (800) 982-ARTS (2787); or log on to ticketmaster.com/auditorium.

Subscriptions for the Auditorium Theatre's 2009 - 2010 Season are also available until March 12. Subscribers to three or more shows receive 10% off full ticket prices. Discounted tickets are currently available for groups of 10 or more. For subscription and group ticket information, call (312) 431-2357 or visit auditoriumtheatre.org.

about the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, located at 50 E. Congress Parkway, is an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural and community programming to Chicago, and to the continued restoration and preservation of the National Historic Landmark Auditorium Theatre. The Auditorium Theatre is generously supported by the Illinois Arts Council, CityArts, American Airlines and the Palmer House Hilton. For more information about programming, volunteer and donor opportunities or theater tours, call (312) 922-2110 or visit auditoriumtheatre.org.

About Ravinia Festival

Ravinia Festival is the oldest outdoor music festival in North America and is lauded for presenting world-class music, but also for its inviting, natural environment. The festival attracts about 600,000 listeners to some 120 to 150 events that span all genres from classical music to jazz to music theater over each three-month summer season. Events are hosted in a covered pavilion that seats 3,200 plus lawn; the 450-seat Bennett · Gordon Hall; and the Martin Theatre, an 850-seat prairie-style building that stands as the only building from the original 1904 construction. When the railway that started the park went into receivership, a group of North Shore businessmen bought the land to ensure its use as a public music venue. After that, Ravinia quickly became recognized as the summer opera capital of the world, until the Great Depression shut its iconic gates. In 1936, the park was again rescued by local residents who incorporated under the name Ravinia Festival Association. At that time, Ravinia Festival became the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Throughout its 100-plus year history, Ravinia has been a major presenter of dance, from Martha Graham to New York City Ballet, from Ruth Page to Pilobolus, and in recent seasons, premieres by Mark Morris, Luna Negra Dance Theater, The Joffrey with Ramsey Lewis, and in 2009 the world premiere commission from Bill T. Jones, Fondly Do We Hope...Fervently Do We Pray.

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