Student performance Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 11:00am
Recommended for 1st grade and older

Calpulli Mexican Dance Company’s repertoire is a carnival of folkloric traditions and original creations both choreographic and musical developed since 2003. Calpulli tells narrative-based stories told entirely through dance, music, elaborate and colorful costuming, and with the passion of our performers. Stories are conceived and created by Co-Founders Alberto Lopez Herrera, former Artistic Director, and Juan Castaño, Executive Director, and are told through the artistic vision of Artistic Director Grisel Pren Monje. In DÍA DE MUERTOS, a loving couple falls victim to treachery and is separated, seemingly forever. The young woman enters Mictlán- the underworld of Aztec mythology- where the mesmerizing Catrina reigns as queen.

Student Performances Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 10am and 12pm
Recommended for all ages

Delwin Elk Beare Fiddler is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Sans Arc band, and a world renowned Native American performing artist. As a teenager he was a champion Grass and Hoop dancer on the pow-wow circuit. Delwin created PAZA, Tree of Life to fulfill his mother’s dream of returning the people to the roots of their culture.
THE PAZA EXPERIENCE cultural performances include Native American flute, drums, and traditional/modern songs with a full historical explanation and demonstration of the men’s and women’s traditional dances. All of our performances encourage audience participation and when space is allowed, we end each performance with a Round Dance, inviting everyone to join hands in a circle to create one family

Student performances Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 10am and 12pm
Recommended for 3rd grade and older

In one Lower East Side tenement, forty layers of wallpaper were found clinging to the walls – each piece applied by a new immigrant family.  Using puppetry, masks and live action, Layer the Walls tells the incredible stories held within each layer. Through these stories, young audiences engage their imagination and creativity, build empathy, and better understand current events through a historical lens.

This new performance (Part II, spanning 1930-1970) includes the following stories:

A Chinese father swims across the Hudson River to save his family
A Teen Holocaust survivor finds home in NYC
Puerto Rican cousins become involved with the Young Lords’ fight for healthcare justice

Student Performances February 2026
Recommended for Grades 3-8

The Story of Nian and The Origin Chinese Lunar New Year Customs

A spectacular production of dazzling props, colorful costumes,  mesmerizing music, fantastic acrobatics and lively dance by  top notch performers telling the story of the origin of the Chinese Lunar New Year.  In this legend, a group of villagers, working, dancing and praying together,  defeated an a terrifying monster of the ages.  A heartwarming story highlights the intrinsic value of coming together, courage, hard-work and ingenuity.  It also explains some of the origin of the tradition of the Chinese Lunar New Year when everyone is wearing red, giving red envelopes to children, putting up red decorations, and lighting up all the dark corners the red firecracker to make loud noises.

Student Performances Friday, March 13, 2026 at 10am and 12pm
Recommended for 4th grade and older

Mexico Beyond Mariachi is a multi-cultural ensemble of professional musicians, actors, dancers and teaching artists, who perform traditional music and dance from Mexico, creating a visceral connection with audiences of all ages.

In Trekking Mexico, students take a deep dive into folk traditions, both ancient and contemporary. This colorful educational show takes you on a Mexican expedition of historic and geographic regions through folkloric music and dance. From feeling the rumbling drums of Tenochtitlan to the sweet sounds of the stringed Jaranas of Veracruz, audiences are transported to the jungles of Tabasco and trek the mountains of Guerrero, this multimedia show will whisk you away on a joyful ride through this culturally rich republic.