Download Mi Mexico

theatre ● dance ● music ● ballet ● visual arts
2013-2014 Season
Arts Access
School Time Program
Mi Mexico
presented by: Calidanza Dance Company
April 1 & 2, 2014 | 11:00 a.m.
Hofmann Theatre
at the Lesher Center for the Arts
Field Trip
Sponsor:
Education
Sponsor:
Welcome
Dear Teachers,
We have created the following study
guide to help make your students’ theater
experience as meaningful as possible. For
many, it will be their first time viewing
a live theatrical production. We have
learned that when teachers discuss the
upcoming arts performance with their
students before and after the production,
the experience is more significant and
long-lasting. Our study guide provides
pre and post performance discussion
topics, as well as related activity sheets.
These are just suggestions, so please feel
free to create your own activities and
areas for discussion. We hope you and
your class enjoy the show!
The Diablo Regional Arts Association (DRAA) enriches
the lives of thousands of East Bay residents every year
by supporting programs at Walnut Creek’s Lesher
Center for the Arts (LCA). Through well-established
business and community partnerships, fundraising and
marketing expertise, we help arts organizations present professional-level theater, music and dance performances, visual arts exhibitions, and family events.
Over the years, the Arts Access School Time Program
has offered students and children in the community
the opportunity to experience high-quality live performances and visual arts exhibits. These programs
engage students in the artistic process, cultivating
an appreciation for the arts by combining education and entertainment which together help to make
the arts a vital part of our schools and community.
Many of these programs offer funding for low-income
schools, making the arts programs accessible to as
many students as possible. Together with corporate,
foundation and individual partners, the DRAA is able
to make these opportunities possible.
This year’s Arts Access School Time Program would
not be possible without the generous support of Target - Field Trip Sponsor, Wells Fargo - Education Sponsor, along with our other season sponsors including
The Hewlett Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation and The Thomas
J. Long Foundation, and all the individual donors who support this program.
Table of Contents
Welcome & Program Overview..........................................................................................................2
Preparing Your Students for a Field Trip to the Lesher Center for the Arts......................................3
Theatre Etiquette Guide.......................................................................................................................4
About the Producer..............................................................................................................................5
About the Performance.......................................................................................................................5
About the Art Form...............................................................................................................................6
Educational Activities...........................................................................................................................8
Study Guide Resources.......................................................................................................................13
Content Standards..............................................................................................................................14
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 2
Preparing Your Students for a Field Trip to the
Lesher Center for the Arts
Drop-off and Pick-Up:
Buses should drop off at the Lesher Center for the Arts by pulling directly up to
the curb in front of the theatre on Civic Drive or Locust Street in the designated
loading zones, utilizing space efficiently so that the other buses can unload/
load at the same time. As soon as students and chaperones have off-loaded
safely, buses need to depart and find parking near the LCA to wait until the
end of the performance. NO bus parking is available at the Lesher Center for
the Arts. Loading zones are ONLY for loading and unloading.
Ticket Information:
Tickets are held by the DRAA and distributed to your group on the day of performance by a DRAA staff
member who will be positioned in the area outside the front of the entrance to the theatre. Look for
the brightly colored balloons!!
Tickets should be distributed to each student prior to entering the theatre. Every attendee must have
a ticket in hand before entering the theatre.
All tickets are “GENERAL SEATING”, with no reserved seating available. If you have any special seating
needs, please notify the DRAA prior to your performance so we can make the necessary arrangements.
The Auditorium and Seating:
The Lesher Center for the Arts features three distinct theatres providing a space tailored for every show
and audience.
The Hofmann Theatre seats 785 patrons and is the largest of the three theatres in the Lesher Center for the Arts. It features a spacious main floor and a
balcony featuring four sets of box seating areas. The theatre is used for largescale productions including musicals, operas, ballets, symphonies and larger
corporate functions.
The Lesher Theatre seats 297 patrons and provides a more intimate space for
mid-sized productions including musicals and plays.
The Knight Stage seats 133 patrons and is a black-box theatre featuring a
space tailored for smaller, more intimate productions and events. Seats can
be added or removed as necessary.
Lighting and Music
The amount of lighting and music in the theatre will vary from time to time as the play or performance
progresses. There may be times where it is almost completely dark. We are aware that this can be an
exciting experience for some children and the level of energy can increase along with their excitement. Music can also be used to create different impressions or communicate certain moods during
the performance which encourages audience participation and spirit.
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 3
At the Performance
The live theatre performance is not pre-recorded with mistakes edited out. This makes it more exciting
for an audience. Student’s thoughtful attention and responses have a real effect and contribute to the
quality of the experience. The audience gives energy to the performers who use that energy to give
life to the performance!
Theatre Etiquette Guide
Going to a play is a special experience, one that can be remembered for a long time. Everyone in the
audience has been looking forward to seeing the performance.
There is a big difference in going to a theatre and to a movie. The actors are performing for you live
onstage, and they can see and hear what goes on in the audience just as you can see and hear them.
So, one behaves a little differently than when you are at the movies or at home watching TV.
Some things to remember:
•Stay with your group at all times.
•Lights will dim just before a performance, and then go dark. Show your knowledge by sitting calmly.
•No talking or whispering during the performance.
•Laughter at appropriate times only.
•Keep body movements to a minimum. You can’t get up and move around during the performance.
•Please use the bathroom or get a drink before seating for performance or at intermission ONLY.
•Show appreciation by clapping. The actors love to hear applause. This shows how much you enjoyed the performance.
•Don’t leave your seat until the performers have taken their curtain call at the end. When the performance ends, wait patiently to exit.
•Be polite and attentive. Everyone in the theater is sharing the same experience and space.
•No taking of pictures or video recording during performance is allowed.
•TURN OFF ALL cell phones, pagers, beepers, alarms, anything that can disturb the production, actors and the audience members during the performance.
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 4
About the Producer
Calidanza Dance Company
Founded in 2012 by Executive/Artistic Director Steven Valencia (former Artistic Director of Compañía Mazatlan Bellas Artes 1998-2012), Calidanza Dance Company represents a new and innovative
approach to traditional Mexican folk and contemporary dance. The company fuses contemporary
technique with traditional folk dance to tell compelling stories of the rich cultural traditions in Mexico.
Twenty two dancers of the Calidanza Dance Company will perform dances from different cultural
regions in Mexico such as the states of Sinaloa, Veracsruz, Jalsico, including elaborate ceremonial
dances and festive town celebrations honoring patron saints, harvest celebrations or other typical
celebrations. Calidanza’s 6 host musicians utilizes folk instruments to interweave regional music within
the dance pieces. The resulting performance showcases tradition through the eyes of skillful choreographers and a host of disciplined artist.
About the Performance
Guiding Questions:
1. Why is music such an important element of the Calidanza dance performance?
2. How does this dance performance tell a story?
Why is music such an important element of the Calidanza dance performance?
Music and dance go hand in hand, and their multitude of influences and unique regional
and historical characteristics mirror each other. The music combines coastal Mexican rhythms, Aztec
drums and sounds, and Mariachi to create a stimulating visual and auditory performance.
The music we hear in this performance takes its roots from the pre-Columbian music that used the percussive instruments to accompany dances. Some of these instruments were made of local resources
like drums of terracotta, wood or tortoiseshell, rasps of notched bone or wood, various kinds of rattles
and simple flutes or conch shells. Modern Mexican music uses instruments that we are more familiar
with such as brass trumpets, guitars, violins, and harps and marimbas. The marimba consists of a series
of strips of wood of different lengths with gourds whose seeds reverberate and create a sound like a
rattle.
How does this dance performance tell a story?
Calidanza illustrates the rich cultural heritage of native Mexico through a lively and energetic repertoire
performed by world class dancers. Each act in the show represents dance styles from different regions
in Mexico. The show will be similar to that of a visual fairytale with vivid characters in lavishly colorful
costumes flowing from one folk dance to the next. Calidanza’s dances are crafted like a large choreographic canvas featuring many episodes and contrasting rhythms. Each act in the performance takes
the audience on an adventure that tells a story using a variety of characters in a theatrical style that
incorporates human emotions like joy, happiness, sadness, fear and humor. Look for familiar experiences such as weddings, festivals and parties, romance and comedy.
Wonderfully costumed, this performance is filled with exhilarating dancing, music and history. While
paying tribute to their remote homeland, this is no mere presentation of peasant dance as it infuses
village ritual with modern technique.
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 5
About the Art Form
Guiding Questions:
1. What should I look for when experiencing a dance performance?
2. What are some of the key elements of a dance production?
3. What are some dances that will be included in this performance?
What should I look for when experiencing a dance performance?
• A story displayed between its characters that is told without words but through movement, music,
and emotion.
• The genre of the music selection that is the guiding force behind the performance and that sets the
tone for each act.
• How the music selected relates or represents information about the story - happy, sad, excited,
modern, classic, etc.
• How the dancers work together using their bodies to demonstrate the choreographer’s direction
without precisely measured steps or rigid structure.
• Look for the interplay between the characters and how they evoke the nuances of the story.
• The costumes and how they are designed to reflect the emotions and the story behind the piece.
• The shoes the dancers often chose to perform in, including flats, bare feet, and sometimes high
heels, to evoke the mood of the piece.
What are some key elements of a dance production?
Explain to the students that a dance performance is different from any other multi-media outlet (concerts, movies, bands, video games, etc). Below are things to expect while experiencing a LIVE performance.
1. A dance performance is a live production before a live audience. It can take place in a setting as
simple as your school auditorium, or in a space large enough to seat thousands of people.
2. There are different styles of dance which depend on the music, setting, or the desire of the director.
3. Dance has many purposes – to set a storyline and movement to music, to evoke emotion, and to
entertain.
Elements of a dance performance can include live dancers, music, lighting, setting, costumes, and
many different career opportunities for theatrical production. Some career examples include:
Choreographer: a person who creates dance compositions and plans and arranges dance movements and patterns for dance performances
Composer: a musician who writes the music for performance
Dancers: the professional artists who use rhythmic steps and body movements set to music to convey
a story or emotions. Professional dancers spend much of their time in classes, auditions, and rehearsals. Most take classes on a regular basis to keep in shape and to discipline their minds and bodies.
Designers: the artists who create and plan the designs for a production
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 6
Director: the person responsible for the interpretive aspects of a stage production; the person who
supervises the integration of all the elements, as acting, staging, and lighting
Musical director: the person who is responsible for rehearsal and performance of all music in the play
Producer: the person who provides the general supervision of a production and is responsible for raising money, hiring technicians and artists, etc., required to stage a performance
Stage manager: the person in charge of supervising the backstage and cueing all dancers and
stage crew members
Public relations/business director: the people who advertise and publicize the production and have
oversight for royalties, press releases, photos, public service announcements, ticket sales, box office
management, house management and even ushering
Technicians: skilled theater artists, working prior to the production to create the sets, costumes, props,
special effects, lights, sound, and make up for a production
Stage Crew: skilled theater technicians who work during the performance to ensure that all elements
of the production appear on stage as planned by the director and designers (lights, sound, costumes, make up, props, and special effects)
What are some dances that will be included in this performance?
The Calidanza Dance Company fuses contemporary technique with traditional folk dance to tell compelling stories of the rich cultural traditions in Mexico. Here are some styles you will see:
Fiesta Music: The first part of the show will represent dances from the State of Tamaulipas, the Huasteca region. The music and dance style is known as Huapangos, the music is characterizes by the use
of jarana, guitarra, quinta o huapanguera, and violin. The traditional Huapanguera or “fiesta” en the
Huasteca region will consist of a couple dancing on a “tarima” or wood platform marking the rhythm
of the music. In this ceremony a traditional wedding in the Huasteca is represented followed by a
“son de mujer” (all women dance), baile de la pareja (couples dance) ending with the final wedding celebration.
Rattle Dances: From Tamaulipas we will travel to the beautiful state of Michoacan. Sones Antiguos
are influenced by the Spanish Jota and Sarabanda. They begin with the Sonajas, or rattle dances,
and they continue with Jarabes and the Diana. The inspiration for the Sonaja dances came to Amalia Hernandez (Ballet folklorico de Mexico) from watching children playing happily with their rattles.
She combined this early concept with formal ballet techniques and created her first choreography
for the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. The movements in these pieces are joyful and carefree, presented
here in a theatrical style.
Fandango: From Michoacan we will travel to Veracruz, this time to the Sotavento region. The Sotavento region in the state of Veracruz possesses rich animal and vegetation life that distinguishes
itself from all the regions in Mexico. Its principal cultivation inspires traditional fiestas to commemorate
their most abundant fruit. This rich vegetation is represented by some of the most known animals and
vegetation such as the Guacamaya, iguanas, and coconuts. Typically towards the end of a fandango, traditional fiestas, the classic sones , like El Zapateado Jarocho and La Bamba are the most
performed pieces by local musicians and dancers, for these sones are highly representative of the
state of Veracruz.
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 7
Educational Activities
Before the Performance Ideas
•Preview and listen to traditional Mexican music in the classroom, paying attention to the different
instruments that you hear. How does the music make you feel?
•Share memories or stories about different types of ethnic dancing from your family history.
•Find a map and locate Mexico. Take notice to where it is in relation to the United States. Locate the
states of Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Jalisco.
•Talk about what it is like to be an American and also to have traditions from another culture. How do
you combine two cultures? Give examples from your own life or from people you have observed.
•Review and discuss the Mi Mexico Vocabulary listed below.
Mi Mexico Vocabulary:
Folk Dance: a dance that originated among, and has been transmitted through, the common people
Genre: a category of artistic work marked by a particular specified form, technique, or content
Rhythm: movement marked by the regular repetition of accent, beat, or the like
Fiesta: a festival, esp. a religious celebration in Spanish-speaking nations
Danza: the native ritual dance used for religion and community
Mestizo: Western-influenced dance that has been combined with indigenous form, which is the type
of dancing usually presented at Mexican Independence Day celebrations, and other festivals and
holidays
Bailes Regionales: regional dances that are created by individual communities. As a tourist in Mexico, you will often find these in community theater and dance studio performances.
Plano: A step, where the whole foot is suspended in the air and then hits the ground flat
Tacon: The heel of the shoe. As a step, where the whole foot is in the air and only the front of the shoe
hits the ground.
Doble: Where the foot hits the ground twice
Guaje: A hallowed-out gourd filled with seeds used as a rattle. Every dancer carries one.
After the Performance Ideas
•What stood out for you in this performance and why?
•Did you see any similarities in the dances you saw performed and the dances you and your friends
do? If so, what similarities did you see? How were they different?
•Describe the costumes you remember. Can you name the dance they went with? The region or
state of Mexico?
•Which two dances contrasted the most? In what ways were they different? What cultures influenced each of them?
•What did you learn about the Mexican culture from watching and listening to the performance?
•What surprised you or interested you about the performance?
•Write a thank you note to the sponsors and/or the performers. (template attached)
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 8
Other Activities Ideas…
Artistic Expression
•Using visual art supplies (i.e.: feathers, glitter, clay, colored paper, etc). Create a character with a
beautiful costume that you can see coming alive on stage.
•Create a map or diorama of the setting of the performance.
•Have students draw, paint or color a scene they liked best.
Creative Dramatics
•Have your students re-enact some dances from the performance. First, have the students discuss
specific dances – who were the characters represented, where did it take place, what happened?
Simple masks can be made to represent the various characters.
•Choose two separate pieces of Mexican music. Select one modern and one traditional and listen
to each of them and find ways that you would move naturally to each one. Possible choices could
include “Jarabe Tapatio” (Mexican Hat Dance) and a mambo by Perez Prado. You will probably
find that the traditional music has a stronger, driving underlying beat, while the mambo is a little
freer. You might begin by moving one part of your body, such as shoulders, head, feet, etc. Exchange ideas with others.
Creative Writing
•Assign the class to write a newspaper or magazine review of the performance. Discuss elements of
a good review.
•Select two of the dances you saw in the performance and write a paragraph describing each one.
Then, see if you can make contrasts and comparisons between them in a third paragraph.
Send the reviews and/or thank you notes to: DRAA at 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 9
___________________________
(Date)
Dear Calidanza dancer,
I am (how old are you?)_________ and in the ________ grade at (school name?)
_____________________________________________________________________________.
I came to see you on stage in Mi Mexico at the Lesher Theatre on (date) _____________. I
thought the performance was (how did it make you feel and why?) _______________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________. My favorite part of the performance was (what was
something that was real to you?) __________________________________________________
_______________. I really liked your character because (what was it that made you like them?)
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________. The set looked like (what did you see?) ___________________
_________________________________________________. The music sounded like (what did
you hear?) _____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________. Something else that I really loved about
the performance was ____________________________________________________________
___________________________. I would like to come back to the Lesher Center for the Arts
and see (what is a performance that you think is fun?)
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Love,
________________________________
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 10
Mi Mexico Word Search
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COSTUME
CULTURE
DANCE
DRUM
FANDANGO
FIESTA
FOLKLORICO
GENRE
HERITAGE
INSTRUMENT
MARIMBA
MEXICO
MUSICIAN
NATIVE
PARTY
PERFORMANCE
RATTLE
TRADITIONAL
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 11
DECORATE YOUR OWN HAT
Using bright colors and ideas from the performance, decorate this Mexican hat!
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 12
Additional Resources
Websites:
Information about Calidanza Dance Company
http://www.calidanza.org/
Online access to music used throughout the production:
www.Pandora.com
Information about Folklorico Dance:
http://www.pelinks4u.org/articles/Conatser1108.htm
http://dance.lovetoknow.com/types-dance/mexican-folk-dance
Vocabulary Definitions
http://www.wordsmyth.net/blog/children-dictionary/
Professional dancer description:
http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/105/Dancer.html
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 13
Content Standards
California Department of Education Curriculum Development Resources
Content standards were designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student, by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level.
(based on Visual Arts and ELA Grades K-12; Refer to http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/ for specific
grade level subsets)
The Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools, Prekindergarten Through
Grade Twelve, represents a strong consensus on the skills, knowledge, and abilities in dance, music,
theatre, and the visual arts that all students should be able to master at specific grade levels, prekindergarten through grade twelve, in California public schools.
DANCE
1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION
Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills
Unique to Dance
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing, and Participating in Dance
3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT
Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Dance
4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING
Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works of Dance
5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS
Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Dance to Learning in Other Art Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers
MUSIC
1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION
Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills
Unique to Music
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing, and Participating in Music
3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT
Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Music
4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING
Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works of Music
5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS
Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Music to Learning in Other Art Forms and Subject Areas
and to Careers
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 14
THEATRE
1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION
Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills
Unique to Theatre
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing, and Participating in Theatre
3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT
Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of Theatre
4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING
Responding to, Analyzing, and Critiquing Theatrical Experiences
5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS
Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in Theatre, Film/Video, and Electronic Media to Other Art
Forms and Subject Areas and to Careers
VISUAL ARTS
1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION
Processing, Analyzing, and Responding to Sensory Information through the Language and Skills
Unique to the Visual Arts
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts
3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT
Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts
4.0 AESTHETIC VALUING
Responding to, Analyzing, and Making Judgments about Works in the Visual Arts
5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, APPLICATIONS
Connecting and Applying What Is Learned in the Visual Arts to Other Art Forms and Subject Areas
and to Careers
The English–Language Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade
Twelve represents a strong consensus on the skills, knowledge, and abilities that all students should be
able to master in language arts at specific grade levels during 13 years in the California public school
system.
ELA-READING
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
2.0 Reading Comprehension
3.0 Literary Response and Analysis
ELA-WRITING
1.0 Writing Strategies
2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
1601 Civic Drive ● Walnut Creek CA ● 94596 ● 925.295.1470 ● www.draa.org
P. 15