Back of the Yards Ballet Folkorico Prepares for Performance at the Harris Theater
By: Lucia Anaya – The Gate Newspaper
The loud clatter of shoes tapping against the linoleum floor travels through the lobby of the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council (BYNC). Members of its Ballet Folklorico are breaking a sweat attempting to synchronize their dance steps.
Practicing avidly for months, they prepare for a number of performances throughout the year—including an upcoming presentation at the Harris Theater this month.
Founded 19 years ago by the late Maria Elena Benitez, the Ballet has grown into more than its intention of providing an after school activity for youth. With nine groups of youth and adults that range from four to 50s-years-old, the Ballet provides a space to mature not only as a folkloric dancer but as an individual as well.
“[Ballet] is super important because it provides the kids with a space to thrive in an activity that is 100 percent beneficial to them,” said Salvador Cisneros, the Ballet’s artistic director. “It gives them security, lifts their self-esteem, and most of all keeps them busy.”
The dedication and expertise of Cisneros; Jorge Emilio Corona, the Ballet’s artistic assistant and choreographer; and Teresa Luna, the dance instructor, has provided opportunities for the Ballet to travel around the country including, New York, Los Angeles and Texas.
This, Cisneros says, gives the dancers motivation to keep working hard and growing into well-rounded dancers.
Thirteen-year-old Mark Valenzuela has been part of the Ballet for five years and practices three days a week for at least an hour and a half each day. He says Ballet has helped him keep himself on track in school, while teaching him about his culture.
“I really enjoy it because honestly it teaches you about what happened in the past and we don’t study that in school,” he said. “So we are studying our culture while learning how to dance.”
Valenzuela added that while at first learning to dance was difficult, the cooperation and friendliness of his peers allowed him to learn the dances quickly.
But the Ballet is not only beneficial for the dancers involved. Blanca Anzaldo, whose two children Sergio and Jonathan Plazola are in Ballet, says their involvement gives her a peace of mind.
“I know the kids they dance with and I know their parents. I know that this is a safe place for them to be,” she said.
It also allows her to make new friends with the parents of the children in the program, which helps her grow socially as well, she added.
While the program has grown over the years, it has not come without its trajectories. Recently, instructors, parents and youth have started to fundraise money to keep the program alive. The performance at the Harris Theater later this month will be their greatest fundraiser so far.
“We are [performing] with the intention to precisely raise money to defray funds into the [BYNC’s] after school programs—Ballet, computer classes and tutoring,” said Cisneros.
With the theme of “A Tribute to Mexican Culture,” the November performance will include dances from different periods of Mexico’s history and is expected to bring audience members from around the city not just Back of the Yards, a benefit to the Ballet’s fundraising efforts.
However, Cisneros’ hope is for the performance to convey the work the dancers have done all year.
“I hope [the audience] enjoys it but also that we learn, through dance, what the authentic Mexican culture is,” he said.
The Back of the Yards Ballet Folklorico will perform at the Harris Theater at Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph Dr. at 5 p.m. on Nov. 18. To buy tickets ($20-$60) visit harristheaterchicago.org or stop in at the Back of the Yards Neigborhood Council, 1751 W. 47th St, 2nd Floor, Monday – Friday 9 to 5 p.m.
Back of the Yards Ballet Folklorico to perform at Harris Theater
To celebrate the great success of its Ballet Folklorico, The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, the oldest not-for-profit community organization in the United States, announces its first performance at the Harris Theatre!
Join the Ballet Folklorico as they take you through a magnificent representation of traditional folk dances and music from across the beautiful country of Mexico and from all periods of Mexican History: Pre-Hispanic, Hispanic, and Mestizo. In addition to the magnificent choreography and vibrant costumes, the performers will show you the history and meaning of each traditional dance.
This performance is one you absolutely cannot miss!!
The Back of the Yards Ballet Folklorico will perform at the Harris Theater at Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph Dr. at 5 p.m. on Nov. 18. To buy tickets ($20-$60) visit harristheaterchicago.org or stop in at the Back of the Yards Neigborhood Council, 1751 W. 47th St, 2nd Floor, Monday – Friday 9 to 5 p.m.
BYNC Ballet Folklorico Celebrates Día del Niño
From left to right Edwin Garcia, BYNC finance director; Anastacio Montez De Oca, Brookfield Zoo Latino advisory board member and Harmony Health Plan representative and Jim Gonska, BYNC special projects director
By: Monica Reynoso – The Gate Newspaper
In anticipation of the traditionally Mexican celebration Día del Niño also known as Children’s Day, the BYNC Ballet Folklorico treated its dedicated youth dancers and their families to an evening full of fun and surprises on Saturday, April 14 at the St. Joseph Parish gym.
The celebration, emceed by Prof. Salvador Cisneros, brought together hundreds of attendees including children, parents and volunteers who were delighted by great BYNC Ballet Folklorico performances, delicious food, music and lots of fun games.
The evening offered piñatas, balloons and face painting. Families were also given Brookfield Zoo tickets courtesy of Brookfield Zoo Latino Advisory Board member and Harmony Health Plan representative, Anastacio Montez De Oca who donated 1,000 tickets for the occasion. Other presents and treats were given out at the end of the night.
Back of the Yards Ballet Folklorico Celebrate the Day of the Dead
By: Evelyn Oropeza
For the time the Ballet Folklorico changed their Halloween customs to a more traditional Hispanic celebration. Students painted their faces like skulls, played games and danced the night away with a guest DJ as they celebrate the Day of the Dead.
The Day of the Dead holiday is a two day celebration that begins November 1st. The day of the dead is celebrated throughout Mexico and many other parts around the world to commemorate the dead. Families and love ones bring food, toys and personal belongings that the deceased enjoyed. Some people build and create altars, where they place pictures, goodies and sugar skulls to remember their families and friends whose passed on.
Fabiola Fabila (37) has one child in the Children Ballet 2 for three years and says that the Day of the Dead is a good opportunity for the students to learn about where they come from. “This is the first event that her child attends too. It’s nice to see the parents and students get along,” she said.
After having the dance group perform at UNO’s 5K Day of the Dead Race, Artistic Director Salvador Cisneros and Artistic Assistant and Choreographer Jorge Emilio Corona, had the idea of honoring the dead and teaching the dancers about their customs.
“We need to tell the students that these traditions exist. What I want the kids to learn is cultural diversity. They already know about Halloween and Santa Claus, but the Day of the Dead is a beautiful tradition as well. I want them to learn about other cultures from around the world.” Cisneros says that it’s important for the students to come and celebrate throughout the festivities that they have such as “Dia de los Reyes,” Three Kings Day and Easter. For every holiday celebration the teachers have games, music and food. Parents and students also decorated and painted their faces.
At the Day of the Dead celebration, students and parents colored their own paper skulls and made flowers out of paper mache. The Back of the Yards Ballet Folkloric will celebrate every Friday at two different locations throughout the month of November.
Back of the Yards Ballet Folkloric showcase in UNO 5K Race “Carrera de los Muertos”
The Back of the Yards Ballet Folkloric gave a unique performance at the United Neighborhood Organization’s 5th annual “Carrera de los Muertos” 5K run. Altars displaying tributes to the dead, food and various performers were some of the highlights of the event, which was held on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. The event was held in Chicago’s historic Pilsen neighborhood and goes through the beautiful University Village to benefit UNO Charter School Network’s after school programs.
Over 2,000 people gathered at UNO’s Las Casas Charter School, drinking champorrado (a chocolate Mexican drink), eating tamales, pan dulce (Mexican pastries) and churros. A costume contest was held and the winners were Bridezilla and a woman dressed as La Catrina, the subject of Diego Rivera’s famous painting. Before the race, runners and spectators were entertained by the BYNC Ballet Folkloric with a symbolic ritual dance called “Concheros”.
The dancers were excited to perform for the first time in the UNO’s 5K race Day of the Dead
and to celebrate the Ballet Folklorico dancers painted their faces in the design of black and white skulls, and took pictures with people attending the event. They danced Concheros, the Aztec dance from the State of Mexico and cheered at the start line as the runners ran for their chance to win a hand-crafted skull trophy made by UNO students. After the race, dancers performed a series of routines from the state of Sinaloa.
If you would like to book a performance please contact Salvador Cisneros at (773) 523-4416 or email at scisneros@bync.org
Ballet Folklorico
The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council Ballet Folklorico is one of the BYNC’s most popular and successful programs. The Ballet engages families from the Back of the Yards neighborhood in a professional and artistic Ballet Folklorico dance company that performs publicly in a variety of settings.
For more information on the Ballet Folkorico, click one of the links below:
