Mexico’s rich heritage is woven throughout Aurora – from neighborhood festivals filled with music and food to family traditions passed from one generation to another.
Nowhere, however, does that heritage come to life more vividly than on stage at the Paramount Theatre, where the performers of Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl tell Mexico’s story through colorful costumes, lively music and centuries-old traditions.
The troupe will celebrate that legacy yet again when it presents its 43rd Anniversary Concert at 7:30 p.m. July 30 at this downtown Aurora theater, filling the historic venue with so much energy that some audience members end up dancing in the aisles.
Among the 50-plus dancers on that stage will be the three children of Marisol Morales and her husband Victor Rodriguez, who himself danced in Jalisco, Mexico, as a child, and joined Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl for a couple of years after coming to this country in 2005.
Beyond teaching discipline, teamwork and responsibility, said Morales, the group gives its young performers “a big taste of their culture.” Through the music, costumes and dances unique to Mexico’s many states, she added, they gain a deeper understanding of the traditions and heritage that shaped their families.
“When I dance I feel proud of myself,” said her 10-year-old daughter Valentina, who joined at age 3 and now performs with siblings Victor Alfredo, 7, and Santiago, 5.
“I love it, I love it … I want to keep it going,” added the young girl, referring to her goal of dancing into adulthood and getting her own future children involved as well.
It’s not unusual to see generations of dancers with this group.
Founded in 1983, Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl started with a handful of choir members at St. Therese and St. Nicholas Catholic churches in Aurora. A year later they were performing on stage at the Paramount, and have since grown into a nationally-recognized nonprofit organization with about 70 dancers ranging from preschoolers to adults.
It’s ongoing popularity is a testament not only to the vision and dedication of founder Juan Manuel “Nery” Cruz, who continues as its director and choreographer, but also to a community determined to preserve and celebrate the traditions of its Mexican heritage.
Assistant Director Alberto “Beto” Reynaga knows Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl from the inside out. He joined as a 7-year-old dancer, and after years of performing, stepped into this leadership role in 2012.
Now Reynaga is helping guide the next generation, including his 2-year-old son, who is still too young to be on stage but is “having a blast dancing on the side” as the troupe held practices at its Northgate Plaza headquarters.
Reynaga describes this annual concert as a “high energy show” that often spills beyond the stage, with the audience encouraged to clap along, and in some instances, get on their feet. It’s a performance that’s earned a reputation extending beyond Aurora, with guests from throughout the Chicago area packing the Paramount each year, he told me.
But what’s also important to Reynaga, who frequently runs into former dancers anxious to share their stories, is that the group’s legacy isn’t measured only in performances but in the people it has inspired for more than four decades.
“It has opened the door,” he said, to make a “critical connection” that might not otherwise be made.
Speaking of which, while Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl has become a summer tradition at the Paramount, it is also part of a broader effort by the theater to ensure its doors are open to every corner of the community.
Beyond presenting culturally diverse programming, the Paramount has expanded initiatives aimed at making the performing arts more accessible regardless of background or budget. Those include its “Pay What You Can” performance for every Broadway Series production, which was used by nearly 2,300 guests in the 2024-25 season (that featured the smash Disney musical “Frozen”), and nearly 740 last season.
Also popular is its $1 Movie Mondays, where nearly 12,000 guests attended a total of 50 classic film screenings last year, and another 4,300 have enjoyed this offer so far this year.
For Paramount Director of Production Yesenia Esparza, the commitment to reach every corner of the community is not only important, it’s personal.
Esparza, who rose to a leadership position since beginning as a production associate a decade ago, has a “soft spot” for Ballet Folklorico Quetzalcoatl because “these are my people on stage.”
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It is “the highlight of my career,” she added. “I get to invite my family, my friends … those that represent me on that stage.”
For Esparza, who also takes on the role of stage manager for this production, it’s not only a proud night but a busy one. Among her duties: keeping those dozens of performers on schedule, calling all the lighting and sound cues and relaying information between the front of the house and backstage.
Amid the controlled chaos, Esparza intentionally positions herself at the sound board so she can take in the choreography, the costumes and every dancer who takes the stage.
They all represent a culture and a community she passionately claims as her own.
“It is a sight to see,” she said of the production. “You will absolutely come away impressed.”