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With so many Dia de los Muertos events, it’s hard to keep up with them. One event stands apart from the others. Cynthia Muñoz said Ballet Nepantla’s performances here are real stand-outs.
“Ballet Nepantla is a New York City based dance company founded by South Texas native Andrea Guajardo and Martin Rodriguez from Guadalajara,” Muñoz said. “The two of them met in New York and started this dance company that fuses traditional Ballet Folklorico with contemporary dance and traditional ballet.”
Muñoz said that combination of disciplines is striking, and beautiful.
“Andrea and Martin have put together just a beautiful show that includes songs and dances that help us honor and remember our lost loved ones, and half the show is performed in black light, so it's really quite beautiful to see.”
This has become a yearly tradition for the dance troupe.
“Ballet Nepantla has been coming to San Antonio for about the past seven years, at least once a year. They performed at the Tobin Center, at the Carver, and in many school districts, and this time around, they will be performing at Southwest ISD Legacy High School in their beautiful theater, which seats 900 people and it's still practically brand new,” she said.
That Dia de los Muertos dance performance will entertain at that Southside high school auditorium. Muñoz said this event might well end up a favorite.
“Ballet Nepantla will be performing their show Mistica, which honors our ancestors through extraordinary dance and choreography on Thursday, October 30,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz has brought Ballet Nepantla back for the last seven years and she said they always wow the audience.
“Half of the show is in black lights, so you see these Catrina type of characters come to life and their outfits are illuminated, and the colors are spectacular, and the costumes and the design, it all comes together so beautifully,” Muñoz said. “There are about 11 dancers in ballet Nepantla, and they're from all over the world.”
You can catch Ballet Nepantla’s free event on Thursday at 6:45.
