23 July 2015 (released)
23 July 2015
The beautiful Edwardian surroundings of the London Coliseum could almost be worth the ticket price alone. Home of the English National Opera, and London’s largest theatre, it opened in 1904, although it’s in such good nick you'd think it had opened yesterday. Tonight's residents, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, last played here 42 years ago to the day and would be better placed to comment on that. This 40 strong ensemble of dancers and 16 musicians have travelled far and wide to bring Mexico's rich cultural history to the world. These five London performances form part of the ‘Year of Mexico’ celebrations.
Established in 1952 Ballet Folklorico de México founder Amalia Hernández was driven by a passion to tell the story of her native Mexico. These folkloric dances are the ‘dances of the people’, portraying the life and spirit of a people through movement and an explosion of colour, costume and music. The dances have developed over hundreds of years celebrating the important ancient traditions of hunting, fishing, herding and of course plenty of courtship. A combination of elements from their African, European and Spanish heritage, these have evolved into a uniquely Mexican offering.
Simple backdrops indicate the location of each dance: beneath the shade of a huge tree, in the baking heat of a dusty desert or on the flagstones of a town square with streamers thrown out to the audience for the final fiesta. The traditional costumes are astonishingly beautiful, set off with flowers in the hair, huge colourful skirts of orange, yellows and reds that swirl and fly across the stage to dazzling effect. The dancers are mesmerising and relentless, one moment stamping in fury, the next rolling into the arms of a loved a one. They seemed to change costume for almost every song, a feat in itself given the sheer number. During these well earned breaks the band took centre stage, beating their infectious rhythms and singing their heart-felt songs with unpretentious abandon.
A boisterous yet highly skilled performance from the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, its simple charm brought a smile to everyone lips. A welcome taste of Mexican folkloric tradition swept through the London Coliseum making our hearts beat a little faster…
@BalletAmalia @mexico