Guadalupe Dance Company
Celebration of Dance
The Guadalupe Dance Company was founded in 1990 by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center an the City of San Antonio to promote, preserve and present the traditional dances of Mexico as well as contemporary dance forms. Company dancers attend national dance conferences each year to expand their repertoire and are trained in ballet, jazz, Mexican Folkloric and Spanish Flamenco dance. The Company is under the direction of Belinda Menchaca.
Celebration of Dance
This performance offers diverse dance styles performed by the Guadalupe Dance Company including Spanish dances, Mambo, and Salsa as well as Aztec "dances" and traditional dances from Nayarit, Mexico.
Danzas Aztecas: This opening section includes three dances staged by guest dancer instructor Manolo Sanchez of Mexico City. These indigenous dances are rituals performed in adoration of the sun and in celebration of life. The colors of the costumes are brilliant reds, blues, purples, and gold with feathered headdresses.
Flamenco Spirit: Here we present Spanish dances, some are more traditional flamenco and others are performed to classical compositions. In the flamenco dances, there is much more "zapateado" or footwork and is performed with recorded guitar music. The classical numbers focus fill the stage with complex choreography and a great amount of graceful upper body and arm movement. Flamenco guitarist Alejandro Herrera will accompany dancers.
Fiesta en Mexico: We are proud to preserve and present the traditional dances of Mexico. In this section, the dancers perform "La Boda" or the wedding from the state of Nayarit. The women wear full skirts for the tremendous amount of skirt work involved and the men are dressed in simple white pants with a colored shirt. Dancers will be accompanied by a recording Mariachi International under the direction of Manual Vega.
Mambo Rhythms: This section consists of three high-energy dances that will have audiences dancing in their seats. Each dance has its own distinct theme. The first couple dance is filled with intricate turns, lifts and pure fun. The second is of a young woman's dream of the perfect love. The finale is the icing on the cake with dancers filling the stage with movement and excitement. The dancers are all dressed in colorful sequined costumes.