WATSONVILLE — Watsonville's longtime ballet folklorico group, Esperanza del Valle, has had a longstanding relationship with the Mexican state of Veracruz. Last year, Esperanza del Valle dancers traveled to the state for a week-long conference. And now, Veracruz is returning the favor by hosting 28 dancers and musicians for a series of conferences and performances at the Central Coast's first International Folklorico Dance and Music Conference, “Strengthening Cultural Identity,” Aug. 15-25 in Watsonville.
The meeting began when 12 young people and 10 adults traveled to Veracruz last year to practice with local folklore dancers and musicians, said Janet Johns, artistic director of Esperanza del Valle. During the trip, the dean of visual arts at the University of Veracruz proposed a partnership between the school and Cabrillo College, where Johns teaches folklore ballet.
“We took the idea to the president of Cabrillo College (Matthew Wettstein), and he was on board because Cabrillo College is a college that serves Hispanic students, so an agreement was made between Cabrillo College and the University of Veracruz in the field of performing arts,” she said. “This conference, which will run from Aug. 15 to 25, is the first project of this four-year agreement.”
The conference will include 24 dancers and four musicians from the University of Veracruz, and will feature dance and music classes as well as performances at the Henry J. Mello Performing Arts Center and the Crocker Theatre in Cabrillo.
Johns said the conference has already received support from the city of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, which works with Cabrillo to offer music classes from elementary through high school.
“We're a small nonprofit,” she said, “a real grassroots community organization in Watsonville. We've never taken on a project this big before, but we're really excited about it.”
The conference will kick off with an event at Pajaro Valley schools on Aug. 15. The first community event will be an open studio at Cabrillo's Watsonville Center, 318 Union St., from 6 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 16, where attendees can learn about Veracruz culture and dance steps. Refreshments will be provided for the first attendees, and child care is available for children ages 3 to 11.
Youth and adult dance classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced dancers will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Aug. 19-23. Youth classes will be held at venues across Watsonville, while adult classes will be held at Cabrillo's Crocker Theater, 6500 Lower Perimeter Road in Aptos. There will also be three master classes at the Crocker Theater, Aug. 21-23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Additionally, youth and adult music classes in jalana, guitar, violin and vocals will be held simultaneously from Aug. 19 to 22. Youth music classes will be held in Watsonville and adult music classes in Aptos.
The conference will also feature musical performances by dancers and musicians from Veracruz. The Veracruz Puerto Folklórico Ballet and the University of Veracruz Music Quintet Nematatlin will perform two gala concerts. “Rostros de Mexico,” a musical and cultural journey through different regions of Mexico, will be performed at the Mello Center, 250 E. Beach St., Watsonville, on August 17 at 8 p.m. and August 18 at 3 p.m. “Raíces del Pueblo,” a celebration of the customs, celebrations and traditions of Veracruz, will be performed at the Crocker Theatre on August 24 at 8 p.m. and August 25 at 3 p.m. The conference will also feature a performance of the community fandango and sonjarocho “Todos Bailan Su Son” on August 23 at 5 p.m. at the Watsonville Plaza (358 Main St.).
Johns hopes the conference will have much to offer: opportunities for aspiring dancers and musicians to take classes at their level, as well as new insights into the music and culture of Veracruz.
“I hope that for families of Mexican descent, having their culture represented in this way and celebrated and appreciated and respected really creates a sense of gratitude and pride,” she said.
For tickets and information, visit EsperanzaDelValle.org.
First published: