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Ballet Fiesta Mexicana “Thrilling from the get-go...Ranging from folksy to primitive to political to spectacular, each more stunningly costumed than the one before- the dances form a mosaic of Mexican history.” – Backstage, NY Dressed in traditional costume, Ballet Fiesta Mexicana presents a music and dance extravaganza celebrating Mexico’s folkloric history. Highlighting the regions of Jalisco, Veracruz, Chiapas and Michoacán, the company’s rich repertoire of regional dances, accompanied by live mariachi, provide for a stunning performance. Ballet Fiesta Mexicana was founded by Director/Choreographer Yloy Ybarra in 1999 and celebrates the beauty and diversity of Mexico’s vast culture in motion. Foremost, the company works diligently to preserve and showcase the rich artistic heritage of Mexico’s performing arts. Ensemble: 6-12 musicians and dancers |
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Viento de Agua “One of the top ten productions of the year. …exuberant and raucous.” – The New York Times “Viento de Agua is a rainstorm of swing creating a rhythm that would make the Statue of Liberty dance to its unique beat.” – El Nuevo Dia Viento de Agua, an original Latin dance band with a ground-breaking new sound, plays bomba and plena, the traditional music of Puerto Rico. Led by master musician and Los Pleneros de la 21 band member Hector “Tito” Matos, Viento de Agua performs as a full ensemble featuring a vibrant complement of explosive brass musicians and in its “unplugged” format featuring a smaller group, who perform acoustically without brass. The pulsating ensemble has performed in various venues across the country from concert halls to clubs and has appeared at Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing, The Wolf Trap Jazz Fest, The MassMoca Jazz Festival, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and New York City’s celebrated Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater. Notably, Viento de Agua’s debut recording, De Puerto Rico al Mundo, was ranked in the Top Ten of 1998 by The New York Times, Latin Beat and New York Latino Magazine. Ensemble I: 10-12 musicians (full ensemble) |
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Sidiki Conde and Tokounou Sidiki Conde is a dancer, drummer and singer from Guinea, West Africa, who despite losing the use of his legs when he was 14, followed his dream to become a dancer. With veterans of West Africa’s premier dance and musical ensembles including Ballets Africains and Les Merveilles d’Afrique, Sidiki Conde founded Tokounou, named after his tribal village, in 1999. Through Tokounou’s song, dance and musical arrangements, Conde celebrates the traditional arts of Guinea and chronicles his unique journey as a person with a disability. Honored in 2007 by the National Endowment for the Arts as a National Heritage Fellow, Sidiki leads a mesmerizing performance that will thrill audiences with the power of the human spirit. Tokounou offers performances and workshops in traditional West African song and dance for adults and children of all ages and abilities. Ensemble: 6-12 dancers and musicians |
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Note: November is National American Indian History Month Thunderbird American Indian Dancers Wide in appeal, the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers have made an enormous contribution to the effort of preserving and perpetuating American Indian culture. For over 20 years, the Thunderbird Dancers have enchanted a diverse array of audiences through performance with the varied traditions of the American Indian peoples. Specializing in the songs and dances of the tribes of the Northwest Coast, Woodlands (Iroquois and Winnebago), Plains (Sioux) and the Southwest (Hopi and Santo Domingo), their repertoire includes the traditional Fancy Dance and Hoop Dance, as well as a variety of other distinct regional tribal dances. Wonderfully presented with descriptive narration, the Thunderbird Dancer’s programs are among the most compelling anywhere. Ensemble I: 4 dancers/musicians |
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