Student Matinee: Ballet Folklórico de México

Ballet Folklórico de México comes to Northrop on Friday, March 5, for a student matinee that’s more than just a performance. The show runs about an hour with no intermission, and it’s free for students and chaperones. It’s a morning for schools to get a look at Mexican history and culture through dance, live mariachi music, and traditional costumes.

There’s some real history behind the company. Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández was founded in 1952 by the dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández, who combined Mexico's regional and Indigenous dances with ballet to build the country's national dance company. Based in Mexico City's Palacio de Bellas Artes, it started with eight dancers and has grown to around 60 world-class dancers and musicians, with more than 120 original ballets and over 45 million spectators worldwide. 2027 is the company's 75th anniversary, and this is their first Northrop appearance in more than half a century—the last one was back in January 1975.

Because this is a student matinee, there's a whole set of resources built around the performance. Along with the free tickets for students and chaperones, the program includes on-demand access, bus reimbursement, and study materials that meet Minnesota Academic Standards. There are also Q&A sessions with the artists and a Sensory Friendly Lounge for those who need it. Critics have described the company's work as a vivid, regal, and unequalled entry into the riches of Mexican culture.

The show is on Friday, March 5, at 10:30 AM at Northrop's Carlson Family Stage in Minneapolis. It runs about 60 minutes with no intermission, and admission is free for students and chaperones.