For Immediate ReleaseFor more information contact:
Oct. 16, 2012Rosalinda Luna - Latino Cultural Center
(214) 671-0049
7TH Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration at the Latino Cultural Center
The LCC presentsMorires un Arte
DALLAS Oct. 16, 2012– The Latino Cultural Center announces its 7thAnnual Día de los Muertoscelebration. The mini-week kicks off October 25, 2012 @ 7 pm. The Lecture, titled Hustling the Old Mexico Aside: Public Health and the Transportation of the Dead in Porfirian Mexico City 1187 – 1911, will be led by Jonathan Weber. The lecture will explore how state officials implemented various transportation modes for corpses – the railroad, carriage and electric tram to illustrate that the capital city was indeed capable of “order and progress.” Mr. Weber teaches Latin American and United States history at the Greenhill School. He is a PhD candidate at Florida State University in the Department of History.
The Annual Día de los Muertos festival will be held on October 27, 2012 from 11 am to 4 pm. During the daylong celebration patrons can enjoy craft workshops, a special presentation byAlegre Ballet Folklórico,Aztec dancers, and live musicon the plaza with Carolina Imperial. All activities are free and open to the public.
The LCC honors this tradition with our annual festival and community gallery exhibition. The 2012 exhibition of calaveritas, conceived by Dieste invited local artists to create their own altars and submit artwork. Beginning Oct. 27 and ending Nov. 3 Morir es un Artewill be in display in the LCC gallery.
The LCC will also offer hands-on arts and crafts workshops byRosalba Morales. Morales has been providing the Dallas community with her creative crafts for years. She and her teachings focus on traditional Mexican arts and crafts for people of all ages. Morales has worked with the Latino Cultural Center in past community programs and festivals and has also been part of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs Neighborhood Touring Program. Other local artists include Maggie Walters, Dorothy Clark and John Gonzales of Dr. Sketchys.
Traditional Aztec dancing will take place on the plaza. Dancing will be led by Jesus Evelio Flores. Floresdirects the Aztec Dance group Mitotiliztli Yaoyollohtli which offers tribal dancing,drumming and a brief look at the Mexihca-Nahuatl philosophy. They share ancient Aztec traditions with the community through performances and classes. These captivating dances honor the dead and include a ceremony that invites souls back to the land of the living.
About Día de los Muertos
The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a unique blend of pre-Colombian and Christian traditions and rituals. Traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, the Day of the Dead originated in Mexico and is now firmly rooted in Mexican-American and Latino cultures. Día de losMuertos is a joyful celebration honoring cherished loved ones who have passed away. Families gather at cemeteries to tend to the graves of their ancestors or build altars at home, placing offerings of flowers, favorite foods or cherished objects of the deceased along with marigolds and calaveritas.
About the Latino Cultural Center
The LatinoCulturalCenter is a division of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. Established in 2003, the LCC’s mission is to serve as a regional catalyst for the preservation, development and promotion of Latino and Hispanic arts and culture. The LCC offers a year-round season of programs, including visual arts exhibitions in two galleries and more than 50 dance, theater and music performances annually in the Oak Farms Performance Hall. The LCC’s signature family programs include Target Second Saturdays, the Día de los Muertos Celebration, and the annual Posada. The Center is located at 2600 Live Oak, Dallas, Texas75204. LCC hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, please call 214-671-0045 or visit our Web site at
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