Ballet Folklórico de México performs at London Coliseum in July

Published: 23 June 2015
Reporter: Vera Liber

Ballet Folklórico de México Credit: Courtesy of Ballet Folklórico de México

As part of the bilateral Year of Mexico in the UK and Year of the UK in Mexico, forty dancers and sixteen musicians from Ballet Folklórico de México will present live music and dance drawing on Mexico’s history. Established in 1952, it is opening 42 years to the day since its last London appearance.

Having travelled to more than 60 countries, it now returns to the UK for a limited five-performance run at the London Coliseum from 22 to 25 July.

Ballet Folklórico de México founder Amalia Hernández was driven to tell the story of her native Mexico, from the pre-Colombian civilizations through the Hispanic influences of the Viceroyal era up to the Revolutionary years of the early 20th century, through the expressive form of folkloric dance, the ‘dances of the people’, reflecting the life and spirit of a people through movement, colourful costume and music.

Throughout her life, Hernández continuously revised and renewed her work. The result is a re-creation of Mexican traditions on stage, preserving the diversity and characters found throughout the regions of Mexico in dances such as the Sones de Michoacán (Melodies of Michoacán), Deer Dance and Fandangos.

The Ballet Folklórico de México and Hernández have collectively received more than 200 awards including the Prize of Nations in France (1960), The Tiffany Award for Lifetime Achievement in New York (1992), and for Hernandez, Mexico’s highest award, The National Prize of Culture.

The current director, Hernández’s grandson, Salvador López López, maintains a programme of choreography while staging performances three times a week at the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, which has housed the company since 1959. 

The Ballet Folklórico de México is presented by Como No as part of The Year of Mexico in the UK. The BFM's visit to the UK is supported by the National Council for the Arts and Culture, Mexico.

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