Calpulli Mexican Dance Company Presents NAVIDAD: A MEXICAN-AMERICAN CHRISTMAS

Calpulli Mexican Dance Company announces the return of its holiday production Navidad: A Mexican-American Christmas (NAVIDAD) that brings to life the holiday traditions celebrated by a young Mexican immigrant and her family growing up in New York City created by Co-Founder and Artistic Director Alberto Lopez Herrera and Co-Founder and Executive Director Juan Castaño. This unique production will be presented for three performances only at Queens Theatre, Saturday December 10 @ 2pm & 7pm and Sunday, December 11 @ 3PM.

Celebrating diverse traditions - from Aztec-inspired dance to Christmas carols, a youth works to honor their heritage and life in the United States. In a dream, they imagine the fusion of Mariachi music with Tchaikovsky, folk dance with ballet, and the wonderment of their two cultures. But a tempting character preaches the segregation of cultures, and the youngster must choose.

"Audiences will see how someone born in the USA may experience their parent's culture and can be torn about their own cultural identity until they discover that celebrating the traditions as their own make them stronger," said Lopez. "We are excited to show the traditions of Mexico like posadas and villancicos, as well as popular American holiday music and dances inspired by the famous Nutcracker. We love seeing audiences' reactions when they see the way we blend these influences together in this fantasy world."

Mexican-American Broadway veteran Gabriela Garcia joins the production for a second time as Dramaturg, bringing her experience in storytelling and love of her Mexican-American culture to the production.

NAVIDAD features commissioned choreographic works by Calpulli Associate Artistic Director Grisel Pren Monje; Francisco Graciano formerly of the Paul Taylor Dance Company; Javier Dzul, Artistic Director of Dzul Dance Company and Castaño. Live music composed by Calpulli's Music Director George Saenz will be performed by the core of musicians with the company. Costumes were created by Lopez andAmanda Gladu, animation and scenery is by Ariel Rodriguez, and lighting is designed by Carolina Ortiz.

Major support was received from the New York Community Trust, New York State Council on the Arts, Dance/NYC, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Con Edison, the McGraw Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation. This program and its performances are also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Additional support was received via the Cultural Immigrant Initiative with Council Member Shekar Krishnan and Council Member Julie Won.

CALPULLI Mexican Dance Company celebrates the rich diversity of Mexican and Mexican-American cultural heritage through dance and live music. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023, the company tours from coast-to-coast in the USA and made its international debut in 2013 in the Kingdom of Bahrain in the Middle East. In 2019, it made its European debut in Istanbul, Turkey. Calpulli was hailed a "terrific company" by Dance Critic Brian Siebert of the New York Times. www.calpullidance.org