Farewell Pop-Up Card Hands-on Workshop and Dance Performance
with Zafiro Romero-Acevedo and Telphochcalli Traditional Mexican Performance Arts & Theater
Free and open to all ages!
Saturday, October 25, 2014, 1:30-3:30PM

Pelham Art Center’s Folk Arts Series continues on Saturday, October 25, 2014 from 1:30-3:30PM with the folk arts celebration of Mexican Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos). Come join in this festive Mexican tradition in which Mexicans remember passed loved ones with joy and celebration. Renowned artist Zafiro Romero-Acevedo returns to the Pelham Art Center to share the history of one of Mexico’s richest traditions. Traditional Mexican paper art is given a contemporary twist in a free hands-on art making workshop where you can construct your own farewell pop-up card to honor your past loved ones. The art-making workshop will be followed by Telpochcalli Traditional Mexican Performance Arts & Theater, composed of Peruvian, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Nicaraguan, and Mexican dancers, ages 3-16. These young performers will charm the audience with the traditional Day of the Dead dances, Los Chinelos and Danza de los Viejitos. The Chinelos dance, meaning disguised, developed in Morelos, Mexico after the Spanish conquest, and blended indigenous and Christian traditions. The native people characterized the Spanish in this dance with colorful top hats with large feathers. The original name of the dance was called “Le Brinco,” which means to jump. “Danza de los Viejitos” a comical dance originated in Michoacan, Mexico and was originally named “Danza de viejo fuego” which means “Dance of the old fire.”

About Day of the Dead
In the Mexican culture, death is addressed through many cultural and religious rituals. It is believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives – to eat, drink, and be merry. In Mexican tradition, this is a day to remember the dead and to celebrate by preparing special foods in honor of those who have departed. On this day, the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decorations of flowers and calaveras, skeletons and skulls made of candy. Pelham Art Center continues these folkloric traditions and honors the memory of loved ones as part of its Folk Art Series.

About the Artist
Zafiro Romero-Acevedo was born in Morelos, Mexico, and has lived with her family in Yonkers since 1984. She was brought up in a strong cultural heritage which included Mexican folklore performances, murals, and paper arts. Her family shared Mexican arts activities in Saint Peter’s Church, Saint Mary’s Church in Yonkers, and Manhattan. Mrs. Acevedo’s late uncle, Don Lazaro Marure, was a founder of the first Mexican community in South Yonkers. Mrs. Acevedo earned her bachelor’s degree from the Art Institute of Philadelphia, PA, majoring in Computer Graphics Technology in Multimedia and an Associate’s degree in Fine Arts and in Animation. She conducts workshops in Mexican fine arts and traditional Mexican performing arts and theater in Yonkers Public Schools, as well as art centers, museums, and Hispanic festivals throughout the Tri-State area.
About Telpochcalli Traditional Mexican Performing Arts & Theater
Mission: To educate our audience about Mexican culture and tradition. Art is a part of history as well as history is part of Art.

Founder and President: Aurelia Fernández-Marure, Executive Director: Zafiro Romero-Acevedo.

Ms. Fernández’s late uncle Don Lazarro Marure was the first to introduce folklore performances to South Yonkers. Ms. Fernández continued building the Mexican community by helping to establish the Cinco de Mayo Festival in Untermyer Park, Yonkers in 1998. Telpochcalli first participated in this festival in 1999 under the name “Los Chinelos.” In 2000, the dance group was formally introduced as Telpochcalli, for the Aztec word “Youth house.” Since that time, Telpochcalli has danced in many festivals throughout the New York Metropolitan area.

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Pelham Art Center 155 Fifth Avenue Pelham, NY 10803 914-738-2525 [email protected]
Hours: Tuesday–Friday, 10–5pm; Saturday, 10–4pm
Directions: Located 5 blocks from the Hutchinson Parkway exit 12 and 2 blocks from the Metro North Pelham stop

These events and programs are made possible, in part, by the ArtsWestchester with funds from Westchester County Government. Pelham Art Center also receives funding from: New York State Council on the Arts, A State Agency; Westchester Jewish Community Services; hibu; Nurses Network of America; Town of Pelham; New Rochelle Campership Fund; Bistro Rollin; Robin’s Art+Giving; Nycon; Junior League of Pelham, Prospect Hill Lunchtime Enrichment; Strypemonde Foundation; Mark Link Insurance; Broadway Electric, Owen Berkowitz; Members; and Annual Fund Donors.