Danza!

Starred review from July 1, 2017
An ode to Mexico's rich heritage of indigenous dance. Amalia Hernandez was born in Mexico City in 1917 and saw her first local dance performance when still a young girl. Entranced, she determined to become a dancer, and with her parents' encouragement, she began to study ballet and, later, modern dance. She then started to choreograph, basing her steps on "folkloric danzas" similar to what she had seen as a child. Hernandez followed this first foray by forming her own small troupe and fashioning numbers based on Mexico's many different traditions and indigenous danzas. Her work melded old traditions with ballet and modern dance and was filled with drama, featuring colorful costumes and sets. Works based on Mexican history also became part of her company's repertoire, along with music from Europe such as the waltz. National and international success and acclaim followed for her company, El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. Tonatiuh tells Hernandez's story with careful attention to detail and with obvious admiration for the subject, adding in his author's note how popular Mexican dance is across both Mexico and the United States. His digitized, hand-drawn illustrations are striking. They showcase, in his signature style based on Mixtec art, the beauty and grace of many different dance styles. Play music from Mexico and dance to the beat. (glossary, bibliography, index) (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

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August 7, 2017
Tonatiuh follows his picture book biographies of Diego Rivera and José Guadalupe Posada with a vibrant introduction to a Mexican artist who made her mark in the arena of dance. Inspired by the danzas she saw performed on the streets of Mexico City as a child, Amalia Hernández went on to study ballet before being exposed to modern dance. Eventually, she became a choreographer and founded a company that sought to pay tribute to Mexico’s past and present, fusing her study of traditional dances from across the country (“She paid special attention to the steps, the music, and the outfits people wore”) with top-notch production values. Employhis his customary brand of Mixtec-inspired collage, Tonatiuh makes expert use of photographic bits of lace, cloth, and hair to bring warmth to the dancers, who dip and turn on each spread. A closing note and glossary provide additional context and insight. Ages 6–10.

October 1, 2017

Gr 3 Up-Amalia "Ami" Hernandez (1917-2000) didn't expect to break with tradition. It was assumed that perhaps she would become a schoolteacher like her mother. But when she saw dancers in a town square while on vacation with her family, she knew what she wanted to be. Her parents nurtured her love of dance, and she benefited from studying under some of the world's best ballerinas and teachers. Always disciplined in her practice and technique, Hernandez became a seasoned dancer and later a teacher and choreographer. She was inspired by the fusion of modern ballet and the traditional dances of her native Mexico. Drawing on her knowledge of indigenous danzas, as well as art, music, and architecture, she established a truly unique concept: el ballet folklorico. Hernandez and her fellow dancers gave wildly successful performances throughout Mexico that motivated her to create her own dance company, El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. Traveling first in Mexico and then around the globe, the company became the face of innovative and artistic modern Mexican dance for the whole world to admire. Tonatiuh's Mixtec-inspired illustrations capture the movement and vibrancy of El Ballet Folklorico and pay homage to the artistic vision of one of the world's most beloved dancers. VERDICT Part biography and part homage to the history of Mexican dance, this essential, first-ever children's biography of Amalia Hernandez is a vivid celebration of Mexican culture, art, and life and a timely release in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Hernandez's birth.-Natalie Romano, Denver Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2017
Grades 2-4 *Starred Review* In his latest picture-book biography, Tonatiuh celebrates the work of Amalia Hernandez, the dancer, instructor, and choreographer who founded the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico in 1952. Born in Mexico City in 1917, Ami was enthralled as a child by dancers in a town square. Growing up, she studied both ballet and modern dance. After choreographing a piece based on the street performers who first inspired her, she began to travel throughout the country and learn its local, indigenous dances. These led her to choreograph many distinctive pieces for the Ballet Folklorico, which has traveled the world performing ballets based on Mexican traditional dances. The text also links Mexican folkloric dance to Cinco de Mayo festivities in the U.S. Right down to the endpapers, this beautifully designed, large-format picture book is a showcase for Tonatiuh's distinctive illustrations, drawings with digital collage elements that add colors, patterns, and textures to strong, well-delineated forms. An interesting author's note, a useful glossary, and a source bibliography are appended. This concise, informative biography includes compelling details, such as Ami's father's initial resistance to her learning dance, and mentions that although Hernandez died in 2000, her ballet company still performs in Mexico and throughout the world. Brava!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)