UTRGV’s Ballet Folklorico will present its choreography “La Vera-Cruz” at the American College Dance Association (ACDA), which will be held on Friday through May 5 at George Washington University in Washington, D.C..
Director of Ballet Folklorico at UTRGV Miguel Peña said the ACDA is an association for college dancers from all across the nation. The association divides the United States by regions, and UTRGV folklorico will be representing the south central region.
Peña said this year is special since he is attending the ACDA as a director and choreographer.
“Because the past few times, we have taken guest artist pieces,” Peña said. “So, this time is extra special for me because it’s the first time that it’s not only as director or faculty going, it’s my piece now. So, I think it’s maybe one of the greatest achievements I have had in my career. I mean, this is as high as you can get.”
“La Vera-Cruz” was created in 2016, where he implemented his previous knowledge from a mentor he had. Peña said he tried to simulate a roller coaster of emotions throughout the choreography.
“Starting with a slow romantic piece, then something really energetic with the man,” he said. “Then go to a transition of slow pace music with all women, and in that part, they do this little trick of dancing with candles on their heads to come back to another, like, dive of maybe emotions with zapateado, which is really energetic and using all the couples available for the dance.”
Peña said there is a climax where the audience expects the performance to end, but in reality, it gets better and has a grand finale that leaves the audience amazed.
“And ending with ‘La Bamba,’ which is like an anthem of ‘Vera-Cruz’, which almost everyone is familiar with,” he said. “And then there’s this little part at the end where we repeat ‘La Bamba’ … the dancers usually create a mono with their feet, that’s really exciting for the people to see.”
Peña said the most rewarding part from watching the students bring his vision to life is the audience reaction.
“I mean, they went crazy at the adjudication,” he said. “I think that’s the most rewarding part, just seeing that other people really appreciate what we are doing here in the Valley.”
UTRGV Ballet Folklorico Dancer and Choreographer Emmanuel Peralez said it is possible for any type of dance representing the Rio Grande Valley and Mexican culture to make it on the national stage.
“I’m hoping that the reactions we had here at ACDA carries on to the national stage to not only show that it is possible for any type of genre to make it to the national stage, but in this case, for the RGV or UTRGV to take something some people would look at as an extracurricular activity, such as, you know, the folklorico company and making it somewhere like a national stage where you get recognized nationally,” Peralez said.
To learn more about ACDA’s journey, follow @balletfolkloricoutrgv on Instagram.
This is Celeste Cruz for Vaquero Radio.
