Anyone feeling fatigued from all the pumpkin carving and monster mashes that populate the late-October calendar will find an alternative take on the season of spookiness tonight at the Lakewood Cultural Center.
“Musical Spirits, Dancing Souls,” presented by the Colorado Wind Ensemble and the Fiesta Colorado dance troupe, will mark El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, with music and dance from Mexico and Spain.
This show is “totally different than your typical Halloween party,” says Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero, Fiesta Colorado artistic director. “It’s all about celebrating families, death, love and life.”
El Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico and the U.S. on Monday, but the holiday has deep roots in many countries, in connection with the Catholic All Saints’ Day holiday, Nov. 1, and All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2.
Aztec traditions have been incorporated into Dia de los Muertos festivities, which feature sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar), decorated skeletons, and altars for deceased loved ones, complete with their favorite foods.
“It’s a mix of cultural traditions with a lot of spiritual meaning,” Trujillo-Lucero says. “We’re beginning to celebrate it more in the U.S., and it’s becoming a part of the season.”
For Ellen Christianson, president of the Colorado Wind Ensemble, El Dia de los Muertos offers ample inspiration.
“It’s a serious yet quite joyful celebration,” Christianson says, and one that allows her to explore an array of Mexican and Spanish music.
The mood of the performance changes from tragic to triumphant as the program unfolds. It opens with the story of La Llorona, the Weeping Woman. Dancers illustrate the popular legend of this sad figure — the ghost of a mother who returns from the dead to seek out her deceased children.
Next is a classical performance of the Afro-Cuban- influenced “Sensemaya,” by Silvestre Revueltas Sánchez.
“He’s considered one of the most respected Mexican composers,” Christianson says.
During the traditional dance for Dia de los Muertos, the two groups come together with musicians, going so far as to learn new instruments for this performance, and dancers learning to perform alongside an orchestra.
“We’re one of the few groups that performs this program for Dia de los Muertos,” Trujillo-Lucero says. “And this will be the first time ever for us to dance it to live music.”
The program ends on a celebratory note, with uplifting music such as “Las Alazanas,” a traditional song, and dance originating from Jalisco. Trujillo-Lucero notes that the costumes for this dance are especially ornate.
“It’s so beautiful,” she says, “sometimes people come out crying.”
“Musical Spirits, Dancing Souls”
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood
Tickets: $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $10 for children 12 and under
Box office: 303-987-7845
