Ballet Nepantla Mistica

Ballet Nepantla originated from a series of talks between founders Andrea Guajardo and Martín Rodríguez, two artists whose early professional identities emerged from distinct genres: Andrea from classical ballet and contemporary dance, and Martin from traditional Mexican Folklórico. They envisioned a new form of expression that fused the two modalities and an aesthetic that would speak to the historical, cultural, and social realities of a broader narrative of being Mexican, Mexican American, immigrant, and trans-cultural. They chose Nepantla, a Nahuatl term, as the company name. Nepantla means to be in a space of in-betweenness, a liminal space that inspires the company’s creativity.

Ballet Nepantla’s Mística honors our ancestors by celebrating the creative and spiritual energies of our indigenous, Afro, and Hispanic roots. It commemorates traditions of Día De Muertos and transports the audience into the afterlife through the use of blacklight and Ballet Nepantla’s unique fusion of ballet folklorico and contemporary dance.