Northrop Presents
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
Thursday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
2026-27 Northrop Season
¡Viva México! Take a spellbinding journey through the effervescent soul of Mexico, brought to life onstage with breathtaking dance, vibrant live mariachi music and dazzling traditional costumes by Ballet Folklórico de México. Celebrating 75 years since its founding by the legendary Amalia Hernández, this internationally acclaimed ensemble of 60 world-class dancers and musicians has mesmerized over 45 million spectators with more than 120 original ballets.
Countless awards and accolades have solidified its position as the premier folkloric dance ensemble in Mexico and around the globe. From the mysticism of pre-Colombian rituals to the passion of contemporary folk traditions, this invigorating performance vividly celebrates Mexican identity. Experience a momentous piece of history as this global cultural phenomenon returns to Northrop for the first time in over half a century.
Top image: Ballet Folklórico de México. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Related Links, Quotes & Reviews
“Amalia Hernández is an expert at putting together fast-paced entertaining shows that can make viewers want to rush right off to Mexico.” — The New York Times
“Passionate … impeccable … and unequalled point of entry to the riches of a fabulous culture!” — The Los Angeles Times
“Ballet Folklórico de México Is a Vivid and Entrancing Look at Mexican History” — Third Coast Review
“The [dancers and musicians] exude a regalness that is striking … a joy that is contagious.” — LA Dance Chronicle
To Help You Decide
You might enjoy this performance if you love(d):
This will be Ballet Folklórico de México’s fifth performance at Northrop; the last was in January 1975.
Explore Discounts
Groups of 10 or more save 10% and pay lower per ticket processing fees on adult ticket prices for 2026-27 Season in-person events at Northrop, excluding Encore and Pick Your Price events. Discount cannot be combined with other discounts or offers.
Know Before You Go
Event Information
- Seating: Reserved
- Performance Begins: 7:30 p.m.
- Pick 3 or More Events and Save
If you need assistance, please call 612-624-2345, email umntix@umn.edu.
Planning Your Visit
Learn More — Explore These Themes
The content below derives from the Northrop Across Campus Program that supports Northrop’s mission toward cultivating intersections between performing arts and education for the benefit of all participants now and for generations to come.
Find ways to make thematic connections to these suggested topics:
- Dance History: Global Perspectives
- Dance and Popular Culture
- Music: Brass, String Studios
- World Music
- Music, Society and Cultures
- History: Latin American and United States
- Chicano and Latino Studies
- Global Studies
- Spanish Studies
Dive deeper with these resources that provide additional information about the performers, the history of the art form and the artistic process.
Ballet Folklórico de México website
Video: “The Ballet Folklórico de Amalia Hernández, a source of pride for Mexico”
Video: “The Most Beautiful Show in Mexico | Ballet Folklórico de México at Palacio de Bellas Artes”
“The Story of Amalia Hernández” — Danzantes Unidos
Video: “Amalia Hernández: 100 years”
Torres, Lilia Eskildsen. “Coreografías de la nación: Danza folklórica, historia en identidad en México, Estados Unidos y Canadá.” McGill University (Canada), 2018, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (28248487). (Access via UMN Libraries)
“Celebrating Culture: The Story of Folklorico Dance” — California State University
Chapter 8: “Ballet Folklórico Mexicano: Choreographing national identity in a transnational context” — “Dancing Cultures: Globalization, Tourism and Identity in the Anthropology of Dance”
Start a conversation about the performance or encourage reflection, using these questions as inspiration.
Ballet Folklórico de México was founded in 1952 by legendary dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández, who fused the regional and Indigenous dances of Mexico with ballet, earning global recognition and establishing Mexico’s national dance company.
- How does dance reflect national identity?
- How might a national dance company ensure it represents all its citizens, especially in a multicultural, globalized and geographically vast nation like Mexico?
Hernández’s company is based in Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes, a traditional proscenium stage that shares a building with the Palace of Fine Arts Museum and the National Museum of Architecture.
- How does the physical environment surrounding a performance, the stage, the larger infrastructure and its location affect the experience of dancers and audiences?
- How might an artist or organization navigate the nuances of accessibility, representation and democratization amid the ongoing impacts of colonization when performing Indigenous, regional or folkloric art in a European-style theater?
Ballet Folklórico de México, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2027, started with only eight dancers and has since amassed a legacy of 120 original ballets and a company of 60 world-class dancers and musicians. The internationally acclaimed ensemble has captivated 45 million spectators worldwide and received countless awards and accolades for its folkloric dance performances rooted in Indigenous rituals, Spanish-colonial influences and African traditions, each with its own distinctive music, costumes, choreography and regional influences.
- What are some potential challenges and opportunities that a dance company might face as an embodiment of living international history in the present day?
- How might an artist or organization scale their operations while remaining grounded in what drives their art?
- What role does a folkloric dance company have in the diaspora of its culture?
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Acknowledgments
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
