Yesterday, Mari-a' was an ordinary waitress in Spanish Harlem until her life became filled with mystical dreams and adventure. Who is this Taina woman who appears in her dreams offering a maraca? Where did her long-lost cousin Bakeiro (Warrior) really come from, and what is he hiding? Only travelling back to Puerto Rico will solve the hidden mystery that will give birth to a new generation! Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance proudly debuts -- The Journey Back -- our newest bilingual musical, a mystical action-adventure-comedy. This original story, by PRFDance Director Ana Maria Tekina-eiru' Maynard, is based in personal experience and Puerto Rican history, and is in collaboration with Rupert Reyes, Director of Teatro Vivo.
Do you love native Puerto Rican instruments? This performance features 3 cuatros, 7 bomba drums, panderos de Plena, Taino mayohuacanes, pots and pans, and an amazing variety of percussion in this lively performance featuring 30 of our own, children through adults, performing traditional Puerto Rican live music and dance - Bomba, Plena, Seis and Taino.
We are honored to welcome special guests Cherokee David Hoskins & Family, now of Oklahoma (Indian Country), and Robert Bass of Eagle Point Drum to our musical that celebrates traditions and cultural pride! We are also delighted to announce the debut our new Junior Company on our professional stage. Many of these dancers, singers, and percussionists have been with us since they were 4 years old! Don't miss this harvest from our hard-worked mission to pass on a heritage to a new generation.
Tickets now on sale without service charge! Adult tickets, $10.00 in advance ($12 at the door). Child tickets (ages 3-12) are $5.00. Children 2 and under are FREE. Here's the link to purchase tickets. This lively performance will take place at the Theater at Reagan High School, 7104 Berkman Dr, Austin TX, 78752. DIRECTIONS TO THEATER: Take I-35 to US Hwy 290 East. Exit Hwy 290 at Berkman Dr. Turn left on Berkman and cross under the highway. The theatre is less than a block away on the left. Here's a Map.
The Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance annual season of cultural arts programming is supported in part by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts which believes that a great nation deserves great art. This production additionally supported by Fiesta Mart and many other private sponsors.
While you wait, enjoy these photos from our recent Photo Shoot and Youth Rehearsal!
For those who love collecting posters, here was the Original Poster with real life Taino scenes from Boriken!
Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance will present a live music and dance performance of Puerto Rico's Bailes de Salon (ballroom dances) including Danza, created in 19th Century Puerto Rico and still popular today. They will also perform -- and invite the audience to participate in -- Taino music and dance. There will be music by the Mariachi L, a children group of brothers and sisters from San Antonio. After the show, dancing music will be provided for those who like to dance.
Tickets for the event are $15.00 for adults, students and active military with ID cards, $10.00, children l2 years old and under will be free when accompanied by their parents. For more information, contact Sociedad Cultural Hispanoamericana, Mrs. Reyna A. Martinez at (254)698-1171 or Carmen Hernandez at (254)554-2900. This event is supported, in part, by a grant from the City of Killeen Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenues.
Don Yojan & La Frescura help kick off PRFDance's newest event -- PRFDance Salsa Social. Come dance Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and - why not? - Reggeaton on our gorgeous hardwood maple floors. $10 admission, children under 16 free. Doors open at 6pm.
Salsa classes with our own Berto Ramos host/instructor included:
PRFDance Salsa Social is proud to showcase new talent such as Don Yojan y La Frescura. Hear their music - http://www.myspace.com/donyojanlafrescura
This event will take place at our cultural center, 701 Tillery Street in Austin. Family-friendly event has a kid-friendly room available. All are welcome!
To do our part in this time of need, and thank God for the many blessings he has given us these 11 years, PUERTO RICAN FOLKLORIC DANCE is partnering with the CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK OF TEXAS to host a Hurricane Ike Food Drive. We are converting what was Sunday's family-friendly and free performance event (originally our 11th Birthday Celebration) into a hurricane relief event.
The event description is below. Please bring your donations. The Capital Area Food Bank is asking for:
We will be delivering the donations to the Food Bank immediately after the event. If you cannot make it on Sunday, the Food Bank will have large totes in front of their warehouse on the loading dock labeled Hurricane Ike donations all through the weekend (during after hours). For more information on the Capital Area Food Bank, including how to donation online, see their website: Capital Area Food Bank
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PRFDance 11th Birthday Open House & Performance, Sept. 14, 2008, 2-5pm
**NOW A HURRICANE IKE FOOD DRIVE WITH THE CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK OF TEXAS**
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FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. PUERTO RICAN FOLKLORIC DANCE is partnering with the CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK OF TEXAS and converting our original birthday celebration into a Hurricane Ike Relief Event, Sept. 14, 2008, 2-5pm.
Bring your donations (see above) and the kids as we give thanks to God for bringing PRFDance to our 11th year, with cake, candles, and informal performances of music and dance by our company and performing arts students. This, now hurricane relief event, will include a "Bombazo" where you can sing along and dance Bomba with us before the drum!
We will dedicate our closing Areito, a Taino ceremonial dance to the families and communities affected by the hurricane. This hurricane relief event will take place at our Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center, 701 Tillery Street, Austin TX 78702.
It is with great pride we announce a once in a lifetime performance! PUERTO RICAN FOLKLORIC DANCE brings our primera raiz (first root), Tainos of El Concilio Taino Guatu-Ma-Cu A Boriken (http://conciliotainopr.org/), direct from Puerto Rico, to share the stage with us and bring our community a life-changing, first-time experience in Taino music and dance. This all-live music and dance production will also debut PRFDance's original estampa "Pelea de Gallos" featuring surprise guest and gifted cuatrista, Orlando Laureano, direct from the Isla del Encanto.
On November 19, 1493, our Taino ancestors greeted the Spaniards who landed on Boriken during Columbus' second voyage to the "New World." History recorded by the mid-16th century the Spanish Conquest had decimated Puerto Rico's indigenous people (atrocities of slavery, new European diseases). In reality, Taino were not completely extinguished. Mountain cave petroglyphs testify that Tainos escaped into the interior Cordillera Central mountain range. In addition, a census in 1514 found that 40 percent of the officially recognized wives of Spanish men were Taina, making Taino culture and traditions forever a part of Puerto Rico.
This has been an amazing year for PRFDance growing in Taino knowledge and traditions. Don't miss this spectacular all-live music and dance production that will take you on a voyage through every major style of Puerto Rican traditional dance. Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance's largest performance of the year will take place June 21 (8pm) & 22 (2pm), 2008 at The Theatre at Reagan High School, 7104 Berkman Dr, Austin Texas, 78752. Admission $15 Adults. $10 Children (12 & under), lap children free (2 & under). Buy tickets online without service charge.
Directions to Theatre: Take I-35 to US Hwy 290 East. Exit Hwy 290 at Berkman Dr. Turn left on Berkman and cross under the highway. The theatre is less than a block away on the left.
The Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center is an all-volunteer run nonprofit 501C3 dedicated to sharing all of Puerto Rico's cultural traditions with our community, and handing down our beautiful heritage to the next generation. This performance project has the partnership support of local industry including Embassy Suites Austin-Central, Capps Rent a Car Inc., Target, Fiesta Mart, HEB Central Market, and Jo-Ann Fabrics.
Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance's season of programs and performances are sponsored in part by IBM, Ruta Maya Coffee, The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, The City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
[NOTE: OUR SALSA WORKSHOPS ARE OVER FOR THE SPRING. CHECK BACK IN AUGUST FOR FALL SCHEDULE.]
Learn to dance Salsa and other latin social dances -- Puerto Rican Style -- through
monthly workshops, three back-to-back classes each day, that offer distinct
material
in style and technique. Classes will be taught by our own PRFDancer Berto Ramos.
Spring Schedule - Feb 23, Mar 15, Apr 19, May 10
Take one class or take them all! After class, make plans to go out dancing with old and new friends! Cost is $15 per class. Discounts for taking multiple classes/same day: 2 for $25, 3 for $30. Here's a FLYER! Classes will be held at our cultural center at 701 Tillery Street, Austin TX 78702. Here are directions to our cultural center.
Bring your maraca! After the game we'll be heating up our new Ceremonial Mayohucan with a celebration Areyto to mark the first Taino community event ever in Texas! This Workshops in Puerto Rican Studies & Sports event will take place on the lawn outside our Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center, 701 Tillery Street in Austin, and will be free and open to the public.
On February 3rd, 2008 (2-4pm), Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance will offer a workshop on the life of Roberto Clemente. Edwin Baez, our workshop host will be showing his lifetime collection of Clemente memorabilia and will also bring a kit to teach children how to collect and price baseball cards. This event will be FREE and open to the public.
Edwin Baez, a member of the University of Texas Technical Staff, teaches at Dept of Physics and is a die hard Clemente fan! Edwin will be the host of this 2008 Series that will offer workshops by Puerto Rican experts in a wide variety of topics.
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