This April, we were thrilled to host another remarkable production by Calpulli Mexican Dance Company. Through two moving acts, Monarcas wove together traditional and original live music, powerful folk choreography, and immersive background visuals to spotlight the overlooked stories of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the United State.

We’re proud to provide a space for stories like these.

Photo Credit: Luis Rodríguez / Larophoto

Calpulli Dance Company’s Monarcas celebrates the contributions and sacrifices of Mexican immigrants to the United States. It is named after nature’s most inspiring immigrant, the monarch butterfly, whose voyage across North America reminds us of a world without borders.

Through folkloric dance, live music, and powerful storytelling, this original production brings history to life through two unforgettable journeys. The first, Company E, honors the Mexican-American soldiers of the 141st Infantry of the U.S. Army—the first and only all Mexican-American unit in WWII—who in the mid-1900s served a nation that both embraced and rejected them. The second, Viñedos, (Vineyards) celebrates the hard-working laborers who transformed California’s land. Led by fierce family matriarchs, generations rose from toiling the soil to becoming vineyard owners and masters of California wine. Inspired by real-life stories, both stories embody the power and realization of immigrant dreams.

Photos: Julieta Cervantes