México Maya

By Carolina Leon Saavedra

During National Hispanic Heritage month, the Jaime Lucero Mexican Studies Institute at CUNY presented “México Maya,” a performance by Dzul Dance. The 75-minute show combined traditional indigenous dance moves with aerial displays, acrobatics, contortionist acts, and contemporary ballet. The artistic director and choreographer, Javier Dzul draws his inspiration from his native Mexican culture and its folk tales about the Mayan hero twins.

The show transports the viewer into the dark Mayan jungle with howling echoing sounds and flickering shadows projected from the dancers nimble body movements. It is there in the jungle that the audiences experience the twin brothers’ descent into the underworld where they begin their adventure.