Visalia Fox Theatre has lots planned for spring, summer
Two long-time teachers of folklorico and mariachi music had no idea they were both bringing their shows to the Visalia Fox Theatre for the first time—and only days apart.
Both grew up performing traditional Mexican music and feel privileged to pass it on to next generations as well as bring it to the Fox Theatre.
Folklorico dance
Gonzales Dance Academy of Porterville and Visalia will perform its first folklorico production to Visalia with 150 dancers from the ages of 3 to adult along with its professional dance group at 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 21.
“Each state in Mexico has a different style of dance,” said director John Gonzales. “It’s in the footwork, the storytelling, the costumes. For instance Chiapas is about folk tales with very loose movement. Jalisco has the traditional mariachi with the men’s suits and women’s ribbons.”
Gonzales has been choreographing folklorico dance since he was a student at Woodlake High School. He started his first dance group in Visalia at age 20. For 19 years he taught folklorico dance in the Porterville high schools.
“The parents are so excited. They can’t believe their kids are going to perform at the Fox Theatre,” he said.
Gonzales’ professional group is made up of students who have been performing with him over eight years. Their segment will have music provided by the professional performing group, Mariachi San Marcos de Bakersfield.
“Those with Hispanic heritage will recognize the songs, the costumes and styles of dance,” Gonzales said. “I hope those not familiar with Mexican dance will come to experience the colorful folklorico traditions.
Music of Mexico
Joseph Sosa chooses a different theme for his Golden West High School and Valley Oak Middle School orchestras’ spring concert every year. Every four years, the concert is all about mariachi music. Usually the concert is at El Diamante High School, but this year he wanted to make it extra special.
“El Diamante only holds about 200 people, so we have to do two shows,” Sosa said. “It’s a different environment performing to 1,000 people compared to 200.”
Thanks to funding from the Tulare County League of Mexican-American Women, he was able to book the Fox this year.
The concert will feature guest appearances by Mariachi Alas de Jalisco from Porterville and members of the Gonzales Dance Academy.
“We’re very fortunate in Visalia that we have such a strong music program. I’m a product of that program,” said Sosa, adding that he also grew up playing mariachi music.
This year his orchestra earned a superior rating at the Fresno music festival. Sosa said that was quite an accomplishment because the Fresno and Clovis school systems have a music technician for each string instrument.
“Here it’s just me doing all the grades,” he said.
Sosa travels to three schools each day to teach. But next year, the district is hiring music technicians to work with the younger grades. And next year for the first time, Visalia schools will have a beginning orchestra class in 7th and 8th grades. In the past there have only been intermediate and advanced classes, which meant students already had to have music training in elementary school or private lessons to enroll.
Chapel Hart
Country music by “gold buzzer” winners Chapel Hart is also at the Fox this week. The trio of singers won the coveted gold buzzer in last season’s “America’s Got Talent” with its original song in response to Dolly Pardon’s song “Jolene.”
In their version, they said from 1973 (when Pardon wrote her song) to 2022, they could not still be fighting over the same man, so they wrote “You Can Have Him, Jolene.”
Dolly Pardon personally approved the update on her Twitter account, and country music legend Loretta Lynn liked it so much, just before her death she asked the band if they could write an original tune based on one of her songs.
Since their win on “Talent,” Chapel Hart has performed at the Grand Ole Opry. Earlier this month they were invited to perform at the country Music Awards as well as last week’s Academy of Country Music.
Their new album “Glory Days” comes out on May 19, one day after their concert at the Fox.
The Fox says this is everyone’s chance to see this up-and-coming group before they hit the big time.
The show is at 8 p.m. this Thursday, May 18.
'Grease' is the word
For nostalgia buffs, “Grease” (1978) starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John will show on the big screen at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 20. Admission is free.
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Information
Visalia Fox Theatre, 300 W. Main St. 559 625-1369 or www.foxvisalia.org
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia Fox Theatre has lots planned for spring, summer
