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Last updateFri, 27 Feb 2015 4pm
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Ribera Arts Review - February 27, 2015

Writers & Readings

Area writers and poets will present readings of their work at another Squeaky Wheels session at La Rueda in San Juan Cosalá on Wednesday, March 4, 3:30 p.m. The advance program includes Bonnie Phillips presenting a 20-minute reading. Reading shorter pieces will be Sandy Olson, Larry Kolczak, Bill Frayer and Becky McGuigan. This program is subject to change by program day. 

Painting Guild

The prolific artist members of the Lake Chapala Painting Guild will host a reception to open an exhibit featuring their new work in Galeria Sol Mexicano at Colón 13 in Ajijic on Friday, March 6, 4-7 p.m. Paintings will remain in place through March 24.

The Lake Chapala Painting Guild includes 14 local painters who are committed to excellence by hosting exhibitions of original work juried by professionals, holding educational workshops, and attending regular critique and social meetings. 

Membership is open to painters working in oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, collage and mixed media to create “wall” art. Those interested in membership can visit lakechapalapaintingguild.org to review the mission statement and download the application and then submit it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

Folk dance

Five times first-place winner of the Rafael Zamarripa State Medal, Ballet Folklórico Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos will perform traditional Mexican dance accompanied by live music from Mariachi de San Juan Cosala, Banda de Musica and Recuerdos de mi México, at the Auditorio de la Ribera, Ajijic on Sunday March 8, noon.

With 16 dancing couples and a children’s group of 20 members, including the musicians, 70 performers will be taking part.

Founded in 1987, Ballet Ixtlahuacan ceased when its six couples left for university. In 2002 Maria Guadalupe Hernandez Garcia, ballet member and current director, revived it and the city government of Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos provides teachers from the University of Guadalajara to help improve technique.

Wanting the dances to be authentic in step, music and costume, researching the dances was the brainchild of Professor Hector Anaya Paez, one of the ballet’s dance masters.

Now, to ensure authenticity, they visit the origins of dances, tapping the memories of older people and identifying music and clothing worn at the time, via town historians. So far, their research has taken them to Yucatan, the mountains of Michoacan and the southern parts of Jalisco. 

This performance will include the strongly indigenous dance of the Sonajeros from Tuxpan, Jalisco, the Viejitos dance from Corupo, Michoacan, the dance of the Devils from Guerrero, and a whole set of small town dances from Jalisco, including one from Ixtlahuacan that was popular between 1940 and 1960. 

This interesting and entertaining event helps youngsters to learn about their roots. It funds research trips and performance tours and the making or repair of costumes.

Tickets: side seats 150 pesos, center seats 200 pesos, from SuperLake and the Auditorio box office.

Bravo Theatre

“I, Claudia,” a play by Canadian playwright and actress Kristen Thomas, is the next My, My, How Nice! Production at Bravo! Theatre. 

The one-woman show features Jayme Littlejohn, directed by Lynn Phelan, as she portrays the significant people in Claudia’s life in a production billed as a “riveting, hilarious, magical and heartbreaking journey into the raw psyche of an extraordinary girl with a lot on her mind. It is one of the most unforgettable personal journeys you will ever take with a character – as you become part of her journey into adulthood.”

“I, Claudia,” will be presented on Thursday through Saturday, March 12 through 14, on Sunday, March 15, 3 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21, 7:30 p.m.  

Antique Manger

Tucked into a delightful collection of sacred art displayed in Chapala’s Centro Cultural González Gallo is this antique manger figure of the Christ child snuggled into a small 19th century buggy. The show, which remains in place through March 12, features the work of some four dozen artists who have created sacred images during the past five centuries created in a wide variety of materials and style.

Spring Concert 

Los Cantantes del Lagos Spring Concert “Love & Peace” on Monday, March 16, 7 p.m. and Tuesday, March 17, 4 p.m. will take the audience filling the Auditorio de la Ribera back to the decades when love was in the air and peace was the hope of the day. The toe tapping program from memory lane includes hits from the Beatles, Supremes and Queen.

Los Cantantes is joined by guest musicians Blue Velvet Jazz for portions of the concert. With ever-popular Director Timothy G. Ruff Welch and Eleanor Stromberg on piano, the evening is guaranteed to reproduce “Nirvana.”

Tickets are 250 pesos and available at Diane Pearl Colecciones, Mia’s Boutique, or from www.loscantantesdellago.com.

Lip Sync 7

Songs by Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Marlene Dietrich, Pavarotti, Devo, ZZ Top, Kim Carnes and AC/DC will be among the 27 acts in the newest production of the annual Lip Sync show on Friday, March 20 through Tuesday, March 24 in the Auditorio de la Ribera. Performances start at , 7:30 p.m.

This popular show is directed and produced by Michael McLaughlin. Tickets are 250 pesos for center section seating and available at the auditorium and Diane Pearl Colecciones.

End-of-show sale

As the exhibit  of works by local photographer Jill Flyer and painter/sculptor Navarro Tadeo draws to a close, Galeria Sol Mexicano is hosting an end-of-show sale with 15 percent off all prices (except the small 8 x 10’s and the previously discounted photos) on Friday, February 27, from 2 to 5 p.m. Cold and rainy weather kept many people away from the opening reception, so the gallery has decided to offer the same discounts.

A glass of wine and a snack will be provided. For those who cannot make it on  Friday, the same prices will be honored through March 2. Galeria Sol Mexicano is at Colón 13 in Ajijic.

Ballet School

A local ballet school has been founded by professional ballerinas to teach lakeside children and adults at all levels of skill and experience. The school’s principal is Yoko Van Reijsen, a former ballerina of the Dutch National Ballet.

The academic director is Hector Hernandez, the father and trainer of well-known ballet dancers Esteban and Isaac, the latter who is a principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet. 

The school will offer classes in pre-ballet, beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The prices are affordable and registration is free. 

Additional information is available at www.isaachernandez.com.mex or by contacting Laura Fernandez. Telephone: (33) 1066-9711 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Master Craftsman

Master craftsman Richard Stromberg and artist Jesús López Vega join forces in a Saturday, March 7 collective exhibition set to open with cocktails, botanas and live music at 3 p.m. at Galeria de Arte Axixic, Rio Zula 1. Strombeg uses traditional techniques to create contemporary style jewelry in copper, brass, bronze and silver. His copper earrings are shown above. López Vega works in mixed media, acrylics, oils and sculptures.