CUICACALLI “House of Culture" is a year-round youth training program, in association with DANCING EARTH, the nation’s foremost Indigenous contemporary dance ensemble (www.dancingearth.org). Founded in 2008 by renowned international performer Jesus “Jacoh” Cortes, CUICACALLI is an international, cross-cultural, dance-arts educational institution. CUICACALLI carries strongly its mission: to serve the diverse community of San Francisco with dedication towards excellent instruction, performances and community programs, for intergenerational students, artists and audiences of all backgrounds. CUICACALLI builds communities through dance - expanding, exploring and celebrating the cultural traditions of the Americas.
Self expression, confidence enthusiasm, discipline, focus, cooperation, teamwork and positive attitude are amongst the life qualities encouraged in all CUICACALLI classes.
The offering of versatile dance styles give students a well-rounded curriculum of body awareness, movement dynamics, strength, flexibility, spatial composition, and the appreciation for the vibrant cultural rhythms that are the pulse of Latino/Indio life.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Students perform Mr. Cortes’ choreography at our popular annual “Tradicion, Movimiento y Pasion” popular concerts, held at the Brava Theater. They also dance for audience of thousands at the Carnaval Parade in San Francisco, and in annual presentations at Cesar Chavez Day, and a fundraiser for Children International (helping disabled children in Mexico). In 2010, CUICACALLI was joined by soloists of DANCING EARTH, receiving standing ovations from a sold out crowd (including Carlos Santana) at the Brava Theater’s community screening of the film LA MSSION (Director Peter Bratt).
SCHOLARSHIPS
So that all students may have the opportunity to experience affordable dance training, a limited number of work-trade scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate talent, dedication and need.
Students perform Mr. Cortes’ choreography at our popular annual “Tradicion, Movimiento y Pasion” popular concerts, held at the Brava Theater. They also dance for audience of thousands at the Carnaval Parade in San Francisco, and in annual presentations at Cesar Chavez Day, and a fundraiser for Children International (helping disabled children in Mexico). In 2010, CUICACALLI was joined by soloists of DANCING EARTH, receiving standing ovations from a sold out crowd (including Carlos Santana) at the Brava Theater’s community screening of the film LA MSSION (Director Peter Bratt).
SCHOLARSHIPS
So that all students may have the opportunity to experience affordable dance training, a limited number of work-trade scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate talent, dedication and need.
DIRECTOR
Jesus Alberto Cortes Hernandez, aka Jacoh, was born in the beautiful state of Veracruz Mexico. He began his training in danza folklorica when he was 6 years old under the direction of his uncle Juan Natoli and performed professionally with several groups in Cancun, Quintana Roo. In 1999, at the age of 20, he joined the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez at the Bellas Artes in Mexico City. He became principal dancer in the role of the deer in “La Danza del Venado”, touring Mexico, Europe and the USA. Invited to USA for performances in Texas in New Mexico, Mr. Cortes became a well known teacher and performer throughout the Southwest. He has held the position of company choreographer and lead teacher for Los Niños de Santa Fe y Compania, teaching hundreds of school children annually with the Santa Fe Opera outreach program.
After continued professional development in ballet and modern training, Mr. Cortes performed onstage with both Moving People Dance Theatre and Aspen/Santa Fe Ballet. He met choreographer Rulan Tangen, and was a featured guest artist with DANCING EARTH national appearances including Santa Fe Dance Festival, National Performance Network Showcase, Institute of American Indian Arts courtyard, Idyllwild Summer Arts, and “Dancing Under the Stars” benefit at the Santa Fe Opera. Moving to the Bay Area to join his wife, music teacher Ariane Estrada Cortes, Mr. Cortes took on the charge to build Cuicacalli Escuela de Danza, a cultural dance training program in collaborative association with DANCING EARTH.
Mr. Cortes teaches daily dance in public schools throughout the Bay Area, where he recruits the most gifted students to expand their skills at his weekly and after-school dance programming. Besides teaching a variety of dance styles, he develops original choreography for each class and builds performance opportunities and professional apprenticeships with DANCING EARTH. Mr. Cortes’ reputation as professional performer soon gained notice in Bay Area, where he was quickly invited to become rehearsal director for Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco, and in his very first year in San Francisco his image was featured on postcards and T-shirts of the renowned International San Francisco International Ethnic Dance Festival.
In 2010, he was a guest performer at Stanford University’s Institute for Diversity in the Arts “Race and Environment” project. He was invited back to Stanford to create choreography for the Ballet Folklorico de Stanford. He also was featured in ALICE Presents: “Burning Libraries” at Theater Artaud and Laney College, Oakland.
Jesus Alberto Cortes Hernandez, aka Jacoh, was born in the beautiful state of Veracruz Mexico. He began his training in danza folklorica when he was 6 years old under the direction of his uncle Juan Natoli and performed professionally with several groups in Cancun, Quintana Roo. In 1999, at the age of 20, he joined the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez at the Bellas Artes in Mexico City. He became principal dancer in the role of the deer in “La Danza del Venado”, touring Mexico, Europe and the USA. Invited to USA for performances in Texas in New Mexico, Mr. Cortes became a well known teacher and performer throughout the Southwest. He has held the position of company choreographer and lead teacher for Los Niños de Santa Fe y Compania, teaching hundreds of school children annually with the Santa Fe Opera outreach program.
After continued professional development in ballet and modern training, Mr. Cortes performed onstage with both Moving People Dance Theatre and Aspen/Santa Fe Ballet. He met choreographer Rulan Tangen, and was a featured guest artist with DANCING EARTH national appearances including Santa Fe Dance Festival, National Performance Network Showcase, Institute of American Indian Arts courtyard, Idyllwild Summer Arts, and “Dancing Under the Stars” benefit at the Santa Fe Opera. Moving to the Bay Area to join his wife, music teacher Ariane Estrada Cortes, Mr. Cortes took on the charge to build Cuicacalli Escuela de Danza, a cultural dance training program in collaborative association with DANCING EARTH.
Mr. Cortes teaches daily dance in public schools throughout the Bay Area, where he recruits the most gifted students to expand their skills at his weekly and after-school dance programming. Besides teaching a variety of dance styles, he develops original choreography for each class and builds performance opportunities and professional apprenticeships with DANCING EARTH. Mr. Cortes’ reputation as professional performer soon gained notice in Bay Area, where he was quickly invited to become rehearsal director for Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco, and in his very first year in San Francisco his image was featured on postcards and T-shirts of the renowned International San Francisco International Ethnic Dance Festival.
In 2010, he was a guest performer at Stanford University’s Institute for Diversity in the Arts “Race and Environment” project. He was invited back to Stanford to create choreography for the Ballet Folklorico de Stanford. He also was featured in ALICE Presents: “Burning Libraries” at Theater Artaud and Laney College, Oakland.
AWARDS
In 2009, Mr. Cortes staged and performed his version of La Danza Del Venado with Ensembles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco, which was awarded the IZZY, the most prestigious award ceremony for dance in this country.
DANZA DEL VENADO
Mr. Cortes is the living master to the archetypal DANZA DEL VENADO, of the version originated by the renowned Jorge Tyller for Ballet Folklorico de Mexico De Amalia Hernandez.
Jorge Tyller, of Sinaloa, was known for one of the highest jump of the world in his time, which made his image intertwined forever as the legendary deer: “ he didn’t interpret the deer, he is the deer”. Mr. Tyller brought LA DANZA DEL VENADO to worldwide stages with the Mexico’s foremost company, in a mesmerizing integration of contemporized traditional movement. His ovations for this role were unmatchable; In Russia, he had to return to the stage 40 times after his dance, to satisfy the passionate applause of the audience.
He selected only one dancer to learn his version of this role: Lucas Zarate of Veracruz, who he trained behind closed doors, in a secret passing of the dance’s mysteries. Zarate’s strength and power transformed him into the animal spirit of the deer in every performance.
Jacoh was handpicked by Zarate at age 17 to follow in this dynastic line, in training forms that have not been shared with anyone else. Other dancers may learn by watching, copying, or from video, but only Zarate and Cortes have been initiated into this version of 18 months training mostly outdoors, far beyond technique: how to transform into an animal. Jacoh aspired to dance the Deer Dance, and Zarate recognized his ‘hunger’ and saw himself, and chose him to hand down his legacy.
Mr. Cortes performed this role for 4 yrs, touring internationally throughout Switzerland, France, and Mexico before bringing his version to the United States, where it has been seen at the Denver Coliseum, Santa Fe Opera, the National Performance Network Showcase, the Brava Theater and throughout the US (New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Orlando and many more).
In 2009, Mr. Cortes staged and performed his version of La Danza Del Venado with Ensembles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco, which was awarded the IZZY, the most prestigious award ceremony for dance in this country.
DANZA DEL VENADO
Mr. Cortes is the living master to the archetypal DANZA DEL VENADO, of the version originated by the renowned Jorge Tyller for Ballet Folklorico de Mexico De Amalia Hernandez.
Jorge Tyller, of Sinaloa, was known for one of the highest jump of the world in his time, which made his image intertwined forever as the legendary deer: “ he didn’t interpret the deer, he is the deer”. Mr. Tyller brought LA DANZA DEL VENADO to worldwide stages with the Mexico’s foremost company, in a mesmerizing integration of contemporized traditional movement. His ovations for this role were unmatchable; In Russia, he had to return to the stage 40 times after his dance, to satisfy the passionate applause of the audience.
He selected only one dancer to learn his version of this role: Lucas Zarate of Veracruz, who he trained behind closed doors, in a secret passing of the dance’s mysteries. Zarate’s strength and power transformed him into the animal spirit of the deer in every performance.
Jacoh was handpicked by Zarate at age 17 to follow in this dynastic line, in training forms that have not been shared with anyone else. Other dancers may learn by watching, copying, or from video, but only Zarate and Cortes have been initiated into this version of 18 months training mostly outdoors, far beyond technique: how to transform into an animal. Jacoh aspired to dance the Deer Dance, and Zarate recognized his ‘hunger’ and saw himself, and chose him to hand down his legacy.
Mr. Cortes performed this role for 4 yrs, touring internationally throughout Switzerland, France, and Mexico before bringing his version to the United States, where it has been seen at the Denver Coliseum, Santa Fe Opera, the National Performance Network Showcase, the Brava Theater and throughout the US (New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Orlando and many more).