“Tercera Raiz or Third Root in Spanish, honors the African Diaspora’s vital contributions to Mexican culture and illuminates its impact on the country’s history, music, dance, and daily life. While Mexico’s Indigenous and Spanish roots are widely recognized, its African influence has often been overlooked. This production reclaims its “third root”, giving voice to Afro-Mexican communities and their enduring legacy” (program notes). This focus on the African influences in Mexican culture, at least in dance, proved very exciting and illuminating in terms of choreography, expression and artistry for the Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company.
Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet at The Ford – Mariachi Tesoro de San Fernando – Farah Sosa, courtesy of the LA Philharmonic.
The program opened with Souly Dance Arts taking the stage: Aboubacar Kouyate, Clayton Kraus, Mohamed Sylla, Solo Soro, Wilfried Souly. The music was a fantastic drum corps beating out gorgeous rhythms. Then the dancers take the stage and their movement to the drums was phenomenal. There was full bodied movement utilizing every vertebra and out into the extremities. It was an ecstatic celebration of the body and its capability to beat out the rhythms while holding its center. The fact that the Grandeza Mexicana dancers were so proficient in both African and Mexican styles of movement and storytelling proves their worth far beyond a local Folklorico Dance Company and begs for their elevation to a defining Artistic Company of Los Angeles Proper. Are you listening 2028 Olympic Committee?
Souly Dance Arts. Photo courtesy of the artists.
The choreography by Wilfried Souly blended African/Mandé traditions with contemporary movement making for a striking contrast between the more formal Mexican choreography later in the show. There was also a very hip Mambo section starting off the second act. This took place in a nightclub atmosphere with an emcee and different acts centered around different showgirls like a Vegas review. All of this was done well with the men dressed in elaborate 40’s suits not unlike the great Zoot Suit era downtown of L.A. It was a bit “Guys and Dolls” with some “West Side Story” thrown in as there was a knife fight and one of the men lost, leaving his body downstage as the lights dimmed.
Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet. Photo courtesy of the artists.
Throughout the show the costumes were displayed on a par with the talent wearing them. The full skirts and dresses of electric colors with the stylized wigs and hairpieces, flowers and scarves all matching and all choreographed in unison is a spectacular sight to behold. The men’s boots and hats with Mexican design embroidery were mesmerizing in their movement onstage. Costume design and construction should get Academy Awards for their incredible detail and workmanship. Costume Design: Jose Vences, Elias Roldan, Guadalupe Onofre, Benny Vasquez. Costume Construction: Catalina Villamil, Graciela Pantoja.
Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company – Dancers: Cristina Romero (Death) and Alexia Espinoza (Princess) – Photo by Luis Gonzalez
The sections and numbers of dances passed by quickly and created a nonstop panorama of color and stylistic movement ranging from court dance to contemporary club happening. I was raised on old movies and this show was equal to any massive musical that MGM ever put on the screen. Whether Carmen Miranda chewing up the Coconut Grove or Don Ameche and Ricardo Montalban banging out a tango, the Grandeza Mexicana cast equaled them delivering this spectacular show. A number with Diablo masks was riveting for its storyline and the head Demon wearing bright red boots while pursuing the hapless female dressed all in white making her a perfect sacrifice. The men have an entire dance with machetes! I loved in particular the men’s dance where they show their foot work by intricate stomps and pull backs through the toe to the heel of the boot very much like Flamenco and also a bit like Irish step-dancing. The rhythms are a tour-de-force of exactitude and placement not unlike tap dancing as well. The dancers’ versatility was amazing and worthy of tribute.
Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet at The Ford – Farah Sosa, courtesy of the LA Philharmonic
Then at one point, on comes a giant Iguana (fabulous) to round the stage and usher in a new section of dancing in a more peasant-like fashion. This included a series of duets until the 30-person cast all came on for the brilliant finale. The choreography for the full skirts in this was hypnotic and acted like a kaleidoscope mesmerizing the audience until the final button. The next time you see Grandeza Mexicana is going to be at the Ford – GO!
Choreographers for Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company: Jose Vinces, Adrian Saldana, Amalia Hernández, Viviana Basanta Hernández.
Grandeza Mexicana Dancers: Adrian Saldaña, Allyah Quezada, Ana Serrano, Angelyn Cordova, Brianni Gonzalez, Bryan Osorio, Clarissa Garcia, Danna Angeles, Diana Soto-Vazquez, Elias Roldan, Erika Rivera, Fernando Macias, Gilberto Martinez, Ismael Murillo, Jacob Vargas, Jazmin Sanchez, Jocelyn Orozco, Jose Martinez, Josue Silva, Judy Gomez, Juliana Gutierrez, Kimberly Herrera, Lauren Galindo, Lilibeth Godoy, Luis Enrique Gonzalez, Manny Hernandez, Manuel Munoz, Marisa Munoz, McKayla Frances Mercado, Mia Rysdon, Miguel Marron, Michael Rysdon, Montserrat Hernandez Villaraos, Pablo Alvarez, Rebeca Perez, Rossy Perez, Sarah Ochoa, Sebastian Flores, Sebastian Lopez, Sofia Gutierrez, Teresa D. Uscanga-Zamorano, Victoria Gomez-Alvarez, Walther Verdugo, Ximena Leal Martinez, Yadira Magana, Yuritzi Alcantar, Zaylee De La Tejera.
Mariachi Master Apprentice Program (MMAP): Ernesto Lázaro, Aiden Barcenas, Fabian Andrade, Fabian Esparza, Grace Peña, Jose Morales, Mariangel Esparza, Natalia Diaz, Natalia Ornelas, Vanessa Ornelas, Venus Barrientos, Zoey Alvarez.
Mariachi Guest Artists: Aida Alonso, Joel Alonso, Giancarlo Bermudez.
San Fernando High School: Aliana Martinez, Andrew Stopp, Anthony Velasquez, Camilla Maldonado, Javier Medina, Maximiliano Segura, Octavio Martinez, Shirley Melgar, Victor Ruiz, Vivyana Morales.
For more information about Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company, please visit their website.
To learn more about The Ford, please visit their website.
Written by Brian Fretté for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company. Photo courtesy of LA Phil.
