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About this Piece

Pacífico Dance Company presents:
Fiestas de Mi Tierra

Adriana Astorga-Gainey, Founder, Artistic Director, Choreographer
Cadence Arts Network, Inc., Artist Representative
Chris Flores, Stage Manager
Jesenia Gardea, Ballet Mistress
Miles Parsons, Horton Master Teacher
Daniel Rodríguez, Ana Zendejas, Administrative Assistants
Cianni Muñoz-Murillo, Nataly Barba, Anahi Diaz, Social Media/Marketing Team

Company
Raquel Aragón, Nataly Barba, Natalie Boroquez, Miroslava Bustamante, Anahí Diaz, Carlos Escamilla, Emilio Castellón, Jessica Escobedo, Victoria Gómez, Matthew de León, Mónica Hernández Leyva, Iván López, Leslie Ortega, Esmeralda Magaña, Ximena Leal Martínez, Jorge Montes, Ricardo Palomino, Uriel Ali Ramírez, Zarene Marie Núñez, Daniel Rodríguez, Ariel Rodríguez Muñoz, Manuel Soriano, José Vélez, Noe Villagrana, José Ybáñez, Samantha Zendejas

Program

Through the medium of music and dance, Pacífico takes the audience on a tour of Mexico’s rich cultural past. Showcasing traditional and reimagined works, Pacífico illustrates a history shaped by the legacy of colonialism as it intertwined the cultural traditions of African, Mexican Amerindian, and European settlers to Mexico. Come join in on the rich colorful and vibrant Fiestas de mi Tierra in a show for all ages.

Orgullo Oaxaqueño
Pacífico pays homage to one of Oaxaca’s most important cultural events, La Guelaguetza, an annual festival that celebrates the indigenous communities within the region and preserves sacred Pre-Hispanic traditions for a post-colonial world.  

Choreography by Adriana A. Gainey

Calido Chiapas
Dances from the state of Chiapas are generally courtship in nature, and are indicative of a region where love, marriage, and procreation are regarded as life’s most sacred tribute to the land.

Choreography by Adriana Gainey 

Picotas y Huapangos Tamaulipecos 
This suite highlights the state of Tamaulipas where indigenous communities celebrate the end of the sugar cane harvest through joyful and intricate courtship dances.

El Tamaulipeco
Anahí Diaz, Daniel Rodríguez

Choreography by Matthew de León & Adriana Gainey

Fandango Veracruzano
Natalie Bojorquez, Esmeralda Magaña, La Bruja
Cajon played by Uriel Ramirez
Samantha Zendejas & Matthew de León, La Bamba

The festivities continue in the southern, coastal state of Veracruz where a fandango, or party, ensues that deconstructs the Spanish flamenco and Afro-Caribbean rhythms and movement that are the signature of this region.

Choreography by Daniel Rodriguez, Matthew de León & Adriana Gainey

Fiesta Calentana, Guerrero
Uriel Ramirez, Anahi Diaz, Jessica Escobedo, El Palomo

Dance Company takes a journey through the southwestern, coastal state of Guerrero. The suite begins with El Palomo, an intricate and sensual courtship dance that explores the Peruvian cultural influence in Pacifico the region, specifically the Marinera Norteña dance style.

Sones de Michoacan
Mónica Hernández Leyva, 1st Sonaja
Jessica Escobedo, 2nd Sonaja
Anahí Diaz, 1st Jarabe
Jesenia Gardea, Uriel Ramírez, Daniel Rodríguez, 2nd Jarabe
Zarene Núñez, Samantha Zendejas, 3rd Jarabe

Restaged by Adriana Gainey

This youthful and playful folkloric ballet was one of Amalia Hernandez’s first original works, which highlights the Indospanish influence of the region through the use of a sonaja, or rattle.

Viva Jalisco
Pacífico ends their tour of Mexican Culture with the lively dances of Jalisco, where the Mexican hat dance, the Mariachi, and the distinct and ornate costumes are common symbols of Mexico. Que viva México!

Choreography by Adriana A. Gainey & Joel Sandoval

Biographies 

Adriana Astorga-Gainey, Founder & Artistic Director
A native Californian, Mrs.Gainey began her dance training of  Mexican folklore at the Escuela del Ballet Folklorico, under the direction of Amalia Hernandez. She also trained at La Escuela de Danza Mizoc and with the legendary Rafael Zamarripa Castaneda. She studied classical ballet with master dance instructors Don Hewitt, Joanna DiGiovanna, and Stephan Wenta. Throughout her dance career, Ms. Gainey has had the privilege of working with Don Bondi, former lead dancer of the Gloria Newman Dance Theatre, Davinci Burks, former Alvin Ailey soloist, modern dance master, Rudy Perez, and teacher/choreographer Karen McDonald.

In January of 1992, she founded Pacifico Dance Company, formerly Ballet Folklorico del Pacifico. In her capacity as General Director, the company has grown to over 40 dancers and musicians and has toured California, New Mexico, Washington DC, North Korea, and China- to name a few. Ms. Gainey is also the proud recipient of the 2003 and 2005 California DanceMaker Grant and has been awarded certificates of recognition from both the City of Los Angeles and the Mexican Cultural Institute for her immense contributions to the Mexican folk dance form and the Mexican American community. Most recently, in

2014, Ms. Gainey founded the Pacifico Dance Academy based at Plaza de la Raza in Los Angeles.

Jesenia Gardea, Dancer & Ballet Mistress
Jesenia Gardea began her ballet training in 1987 at the West Coast Conservatory of Ballet.  In 2003, she joined Pacifico Dance Company. Ms. Gardea continues to broaden her teaching pedagogies and expand her repertoire in Mexican folk dance through extensive travel.  Gardea received her B.S. in Business Administration from Chapman University; teaching credential in Mathematics from California State University, Fullerton; and a Career Technical Education Credential in Arts, Media, and Entertainment. Currently, Ms. Gardea teaches math, art, and ballet folklórico at Heninger Elementary School and ballet folklórico at Santa Ana High School and serves as ballet mistress to Pacifico.

Miles Parsons, Horton Technique Teacher
Miles Parsons studied at LACHSA from 2013-2017. Parsons then studied abroad with San Francisco Ballet, the School of American Ballet, and Ballet Chicago. Parsons has studied Horton Technique for five years directly from Don Martin, the foremost authority in Horton dance until his recent death in July of 2021. Parsons has joined the Pacifico Dance Company team as the Horton technique teacher.

Matthew de León, Dancer & Choreographer
Matthew De León was introduced to dance at a young age when he joined Relámpago del Cielo. He then went on to attend the Orange County School of the Arts where he studied flamenco, folklorico, ballet, and modern. After graduating in 2017, he joined Pacifico Dance Company that same year. He is currently a History major at the California State University of Fullerton. De León proudly debuts his first choreographies for Pacifico Dance Company: El Cajon and El Tamaulipeco.

Daniel Rodríguez, Dancer & Choreographer
Daniel Rodriguez began his journey dancing Folklorico at a very young age and later joined Pacifico Dance Company. Rodriquez attended the LA County High School for the Arts where he studied ballet, modern, composition from master teachers such as Fiona Lummis, Don Martin, Wendy Lawson, Loic Noisette, and Alexa Kershner. During his time at LACHSA, He was awarded semi-finalist for the Music Center of Los Angeles' Spotlight Dance Competition, under Non-Classical Dance, and a finalist for the National YoungArts Foundation, under Mexican Folkloric Dance. Rodriguez has received his BA in Communications with a Minor in Dance from California State University, Los Angeles. Rodriguez debuts his first choreography for Pacifico Dance Company: La Bruja.

Special Thanks to the following for their ongoing support:

Carlos Escamilla
Manuel Soriano
Maestro Rolando Reyes
Victor Solis
Bustamante Family
Rodriguez Family
Zendejas Family
Diaz Family
Raquel Aragon
Jorge Montes
Ricardo Palomino

Pacifico Dance Company
www.pacificodance.com

Cadence Arts Network, Inc.
cadencearts@aol.com
www.cadencearts.com