The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (GCAC) presents a celebration of Mexican tradition and culture on October 7-12, 2022 including a symposium on Folklorico Dance in Chicano Communities, a fusion of dance by the Gabriela Mendoza-Garcia Ballet Folkloric of Laredo, Texas; Celebrando Tradiciones by the Guadalupe Dance Company; Mariachi Azteca de América and a special Viva Mi Cultura lecture/dance demonstration celebrating Día de la Raza.
The celebration begins with a collaboration between the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and Trinity University to present Dance and Identity: A Symposium on Folklorico in Chicano Communities at Trinity University in the William Knox Holt Conference Center<https://www.trinity.edu/directory/spac-es-places/william-knox-holt-center>, 106 Oakmont Court, on Friday, October 7, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. This unique symposium celebrates the history of Folklorico dance and its impact on the Mexican American experience through the eyes of dance practitioners that include scholars, performers, directors and teachers. The free one-day symposium will bring together expert panelists to present various dance-related topics.
The Folklorico Dance symposium concludes with a Chicana/o historias dance performance by the Gabriela Mendoza-Garcia Ballet Folklorico on October 7, at 8 p.m. at the historic Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St. Using scholarly text, archi-val research, and ethnographic sources, Dr. Gabriela Mendoza-Garcia narrates a history of the Chicana/o people with traditional Folklorico dance along with a choreographic fusion of zapateado, mambo, and flamenco rhythms to show how the Chicanas/os fought for farmworkers rights, created the Brown Berets to help fight social injustice, and used the arts to re-affirm their Mexican roots. Tickets are $30, $25, $20, $15, according to tiers.
The festivities continue with Celebrando Tradiciones, a performance of traditional Mexican Folklorico dance by the Guadalupe Dance Company accompanied by Mariachi Azteca de América on October 8, at 8 p.m. at the historic Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St.The presentation is sponsored by the City of San Antonio Diez y Seis de Septiembre Commission and AARP. It will showcase traditional dances from various states of México. Tickets are $30, $25, $20, $15, according to tiers and reserved tables of 4 for $150 each.
On October 12, the Guadalupe celebrates Día de la Raza with a lecture and dance demonstration at 6 p.m. featuring members of the Guadalupe Dance Company presenting traditional dances, costumes and music of México at the Guadalupe Theater. Audiences will have the opportunity to volunteer for a “mini” dance class on stage and ask questions about Mexican Folklorico dance and being a dancer. Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for children and seniors.
For tickets, please visit
https://guadalupeculturalarts.org. (Photo credit: Richard Vasquez)