Nahui Ollin – Aztec Dance Chicago

Description

Experience the living tradition of Mesoamerica with Nahui Ollin - Aztec Dance Chicago as they present the pre-Hispanic traditions of central Mexico. Vibrant and active, the dancers’ movements represent and honor elements in nature, totem animals, deities and sacred actions. Both ritualistic and spiritualistic, program highlights include authentic attire and indigenous music instrumentation, traditional songs and stories. This show also explores how we are all connected with this culture through food, language, people, places, and words we all use.

Work Sample

Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance - Chicago 2021, Running time: 3min 17 sec

Description:A slideshow of various events where Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance - Chicago performed and participated in "velación" ceremonies. Aztec dance performances were led by Capitan Roberto Ferreyra and his son Irekani Ferreyra. Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance performances included a collaboration with Sones de Mexico at Grant Park on the Pritzker Pavilion stage and with Mexican drummer Gustavo Cortiñas as part of Night Out in the Parks. All programs were partially funded by DCASE.

Experience the living tradition of Mesoamerica with Nahui Ollin as they present the pre-Hispanic traditions of central Mexico. Vibrant and active, the dancers’ movements represent and honor elements in nature, totem animals, deities and sacred actions. Both ritualistic and spiritualistic, program highlights include authentic attire and indigenous music instrumentation, traditional songs and stories. This show also explores how we are all connected with this culture through food, language, people, places, and words we all use.

This show is great for celebrations such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Day of the Dead, Summer Solstice, and is a great complement to curriculum related to Aztec and Mayan cultures.

Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance Chicago performing at Millennium Park with Sones de Mexico in Summer of 2021 

The work sample entitled "Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance - Chicago 2021"  showcases both performances and intimate sacred ceremonies that we facilitated in 2021. It shows our professionalism and excellence in performance as well as our deeply-rooted connection to our sacred ceremonies. It also showcases our educational work and our creative collaborations with other Chicago artists such as Sones de Mexico and Mexican jazz drummer Gustavo Cortinas. 

History

Nahui Ollin was founded to embrace and perform the indigenous, ancient ceremonial dances of Mexico. The group focuses primarily on Aztec dance (also known as the Dance of the Concheros), other indigenous dances, songs, and poetry. Lead performer Roberto Ferreyra is a “Capitan” (chief) of a mesa de danza, one of only a few in the United States.

Members of Nahui Ollin have decades of experience teaching workshops in dance, music, and art. Arts workshop examples include clay instruments, recycled materials and music, mural painting, indigenous crafts, piñatas, masks, altars, Day of the Dead, and more.

Artistic Vision

Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance Chicago aims to be a leader in cultural arts education. We want to inspire our audiences to explore their cultural heritage and be accessible to anyone who wants to learn about indigenous folk music and dance from Mexico.We are committed to creating engaging experiences for audiences while delivering education and entertainment. 

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

Nahui Ollin Aztec Dance is committed to providing quality arts programming for students of all ages with a focus on cultural education through the arts. We have instructors that have been teaching for many many years and know how to inspire the next generation through cultural arts. We teach and perform for all ages, unfolding a world of experience for students of all backgrounds to learn about indigenous peoples from Mexico and Latin America through social studies, language, geography, history, math, and more through the arts, with a specialty in Latin traditional music and dance. We have worked with a multitude of schools over the years, utilizing English, Spanish and bilingual programs designed for all ages and mindful of the State of Illinois Education Goals for Music, Dance, Visual Art, and Theatre.

Traditional Folk/Ethnic Artform Statement

Experience the living tradition of Mesoamerica with Nahui Ollin as they present the pre-Hispanic traditions of central Mexico. Vibrant and active, the dancers’ movements represent and honor elements in nature, totem animals, deities and sacred actions. Both ritualistic and spiritualistic, program highlights include authentic attire and indigenous music instrumentation, traditional songs and stories. This show also explores how our communities are all connected with this culture through food, language, people, places, and words we all use.

This show is great for celebrations such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Day of the Dead, Summer Solstice, and is a great complement to curriculum related to Aztec and Mayan cultures.