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| Compañía de Danza Folclórica de Colombia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Compañía de Danza Folclórica de Colombia |
| Type | Dance company |
| Leader title | Artistic Director |
Compañía de Danza Folclórica de Colombia
Compañía de Danza Folclórica de Colombia is a professional ensemble dedicated to the preservation and innovation of Colombian traditional dance. The company has engaged with institutions such as Museo del Oro, Teatro Colón (Bogotá), Ministerio de Cultura (Colombia), and festivals like Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá and Feria de Cali while interacting with artists from Carolina Herrera, Gabriel García Márquez, Fernando Botero, Shakira, and Juanes in multidisciplinary projects. The ensemble has presented works referencing regions such as Antioquia Department, Córdoba Department, Bolívar Department, Chocó Department, and La Guajira Department while touring venues like Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico), Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, and Opéra Garnier.
The company traces roots to community ensembles active during the era of Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, the cultural policies of Alfonso López Michelsen, and municipal initiatives in Bogotá and Cali, with formative collaborations involving choreographers from Barranquilla and folklorists from Medellín. Early exchanges included workshops with delegations from Cuba and Peru and influences from choreographers associated with Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Amalia Hernández, and proponents of ethnomusicology such as Armando Fernández Gorjón. Institutional support came from partnerships with Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Universidad de Antioquia, Universidad del Valle, and cultural offices linked to Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá. The company evolved through commissions tied to commemorations of figures like Simón Bolívar and festivals honoring Gabriel García Márquez and Fernando Botero.
The repertoire encompasses regional genres including cumbia, vallenato, bambuco, joropo, mapalé, and porro, adapted alongside Afro-Colombian traditions from Chocó Department and indigenous dances from Wayuu and Embera communities. Works reference musical forms tied to composers and performers such as José Barros, Celia Cruz, Totó la Momposina, Carlos Vives, and Petrona Martínez, integrating instruments like the tiple, gaita, and marimba de chonta associated with ensembles from San Basilio de Palenque and Quibdó. The company has staged narrative pieces inspired by literary texts from Gabriel García Márquez and historical events like independence campaigns of Simón Bolívar while choreographically dialoguing with aesthetics from Ballet Nacional de Cuba and contemporary companies such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Choreographers and artistic directors have included figures trained at institutions like Centro Colombo Americano, Conservatorio del Tolima, and international residencies at Béjart Ballet Lausanne and École de danse de l'Opéra de Paris. Direction often blends techniques associated with artists such as Martha Graham, Katherine Dunham, Merce Cunningham, and modernists from Pina Bausch lineage while retaining folkloric frameworks from regional maestros like Lucho Bermúdez collaborators. Collaborations have extended to stage designers and conductors linked to Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo and composers affiliated with Conservatorio de Música de Bogotá.
Educational programs operate through partnerships with Universidad Nacional de Colombia, municipal cultural houses in Bogotá and Cali, and cultural NGOs inspired by practices from Fundación ProA and Patrimonio Cultural. The company runs apprenticeships modeled on curricula from Conservatorio del Tolima and exchange residencies with ensembles from Argentina, Peru, and Cuba. Outreach initiatives have worked with schools in Cartagena, Pasto, and Manizales and collaborated with folklorists linked to Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia and ethnomusicologists researching traditions of San Basilio de Palenque.
International tours have brought the company to major festivals and venues including Festival Internacional Cervantino, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá, Carnegie Hall, and regional events such as Feria de Cali and Carnaval de Barranquilla. Performances have engaged audiences at institutions like Museo del Oro, Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico), Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, and national theatres in Lima, Buenos Aires, and Madrid. Collaborative projects included exchanges with companies such as Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and choreographers who have participated in festivals like Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla.
The ensemble has received honors from cultural bodies including awards from Ministerio de Cultura (Colombia), municipal recognitions from Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá, and festival prizes at Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá and Feria de Cali. Individual members have been acknowledged with fellowships from institutions like Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible and grants tied to programs supported by UNESCO and regional arts councils in Antioquia Department and Valle del Cauca Department.
Organizationally, the company operates with administrative structures interacting with Ministerio de Cultura (Colombia), private sponsors linked to businesses in Bogotá and Cali, and partnerships with educational institutions such as Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Universidad del Valle. Funding streams have combined public grants, corporate sponsorships from entities associated with Banco de la República (Colombia) patrons, and project-based income through festivals like Feria de Cali and international tours financed via cultural exchange agreements with embassies from España, México, and Estados Unidos.
Category:Dance companies Category:Colombian culture