Folkloric Dance Troupe Brings History to Life

Alfredo Calderon is a man of many hats--teacher, historian, researcher and dancer. He is also a man of many masks. Literally.

Calderon constructs traditional pre-Columbian masks that are used by his dance troupe, Ballet Folklorico Cuica Calli.

“The masks are an important part of our dances, of our tradition,” said Calderon, executive director of Cuica Calli, which means “school of song and dance” in the ancient Aztec language of Nahuatl. “The masks go hand in hand with the movement of our past.”

On Sunday, Calderon and Cuica Calli will perform traditional folkloric dances of Mexico at the McGroarty Art Center’s Fandango Festival. Also scheduled is the Latin-style jazz of guitarist Al Viola and traditional Spanish songs by vocalist Linda O’Hagan.

A native of Mexico, Calderon, 38, came to this country when he was 9. The transition was difficult. He missed the color and flavor of his small town in the state of Michoacan.

“I turned to the arts as a way to ease my loneliness,” he said. “What I discovered was the beauty and richness of my ancestors. Being a Mexican actually meant more than just guacamole and pinatas. It’s about magic and creative spirit and the struggle to survive.”

While majoring in art, dance and Chicano studies at Cal State Northridge in 1974, Calderon developed Ballet Folklorico Cuica Calli, a troupe dedicated to the songs, dances, rituals, masks, language and spirit of the pre-Columbian Mexican peoples and the immediate consequences of the European conquest. Originally based in Pacoima, where Calderon lives, the company now rehearses in Los Angeles.

Through fellowships such as the Brody Art Fund, he has traveled Mexico researching authentic dances, such as the Para Chicos dance from the state of Chiapas, and creating masks that are “mythological interpretations” of Mayan noblewomen and the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, based on documents before 1519.

“Cuica Calli is very special because our members are not all professional dancers,” he said. “They are students and parents and senior citizens who take personal pride in learning about their history, about their nobility.”

About 15 members will perform Sunday, with musical accompaniment by Americana Indijenea.

“Alfredo’s work is amazing. He brings history to life by showing the spirit of a people through music and dance,” said Joan de Bruin, director of the McGroarty Arts Center. “And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing during this monthlong celebration.”

The play “Our Mother--The Earth” was also part of the center’s August festival activities, de Bruin said.

“The world of the Aztec, the Mayan, seems so mystical now,” Calderon said. “But when we bring their songs and dances to life, we create a physical, concrete image of our heritage. That’s something we can all take pride in.”

The Fandango Festival featuring Ballet Folklorico Cuica Calli, Al Viola and Linda O’Hagan at the McGroarty Arts Center, 7570 McGroarty Terrace, Tujunga, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Free. Call (818) 352-5285.