Guillermo Keys-Arenas
Encyclopedia
Guillermo Keys-Arenas — was a dancer and choreographer. He is remembered for his eight-year association with Ballet Folklorico de Mexico
for which he was artistic coordinator and ballet master, but also for his contribution to dance in Australia
.
, northern Mexico. From his earliest days he was obsessed with theatre, and when the family moved to Mexico City
, his mother enrolled the seven-year-old with the National Dance School.
, the British Council
and the French government, enabling him to study ballet and modern dance in the US, Britain, France and Sweden.
Keys-Arenas danced and choreographed for ballet, film, musical comedy, television and opera in Mexico, working for the Opera de Bellas Artes
, Teatro de Los Insurgentes
, Ballet Concierto de Mexico, Ballet Nacional de Mexico and many others. Internationally, he had engagements with the Rosario and Antonio Spanish Ballet, the Spanish Ballet of Roberto Iglesias, the Bat-Dor Dance Company
of Israel and Ballet Clasico de Guatemala.
He was assistant director and also choreographer of the Broadway productions of Ballet Español (7–12 October 1958; September 1959) In 1963 he was the Assistant to the Director of Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, while in 1969 he was its Artistic Coordinator.
in 1999, though he retained his Mexican citizenship. Engagements included:
through his involvement with the annual Shell National Folkloric Festival
, sponsored by the Sydney Opera House
with various partners, which he directed from 1979 to 1994. The festivals were held in Sydney at first but later in Melbourne
, Perth
, Adelaide
, Darwin
and Brisbane
.
The Sydney Eisteddfod
has an award in the "World Dance" category — the Guillermo Keys-Arenas Memorial Award, in his honor.
Ballet Folklorico de Mexico
Ballet Folklórico de México is a folkloric ballet ensemble in Mexico City. For five decades it has presented dances in costumes that reflect the traditional culture of Mexico...
for which he was artistic coordinator and ballet master, but also for his contribution to dance in Australia
Dance in Australia
Dance in Australia includes a very broad variety of styles, from Indigenous Australian to the traditional Australian bush dance and from classical ballet, and ballroom dancing to contemporary dance and multicultural dance traditions from the 200 national backgrounds represented in Australia.Notable...
.
Biography
Guillermo Keys-Arenas was born in El Ebano in the state of San Luis PotosíSan Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
, northern Mexico. From his earliest days he was obsessed with theatre, and when the family moved to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, his mother enrolled the seven-year-old with the National Dance School.
Dancing debut
His professional debut was made with the Mexico City Ballet in 1945. His dancing abilities were rewarded by grants from the Rockefeller FoundationRockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
, the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
and the French government, enabling him to study ballet and modern dance in the US, Britain, France and Sweden.
Keys-Arenas danced and choreographed for ballet, film, musical comedy, television and opera in Mexico, working for the Opera de Bellas Artes
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes is the most important cultural center in Mexico City as well as the rest of the country of Mexico...
, Teatro de Los Insurgentes
Teatro de los Insurgentes
Teatro de los Insurgentes is a theater located on Mexico City's Avenida de los Insurgentes.It was built by José María Dávila in 1953 as part of President Miguel Alemán's program of urban renewal. Dávila commissioned muralist Diego Rivera to paint La historia del teatro, a visual history of the...
, Ballet Concierto de Mexico, Ballet Nacional de Mexico and many others. Internationally, he had engagements with the Rosario and Antonio Spanish Ballet, the Spanish Ballet of Roberto Iglesias, the Bat-Dor Dance Company
Bat-Dor Dance Company
Bat-Dor was an Israeli dance company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, co-founded by Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild and dancer Jeannette Ordman.-Company:Bat Dor made its debut in 1968 with Ordman as its leading dancer. The company existed until July 2006....
of Israel and Ballet Clasico de Guatemala.
He was assistant director and also choreographer of the Broadway productions of Ballet Español (7–12 October 1958; September 1959) In 1963 he was the Assistant to the Director of Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, while in 1969 he was its Artistic Coordinator.
Work in Australia
In 1974 Keys-Arenas came to live in Australia, and was naturalizsedNaturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
in 1999, though he retained his Mexican citizenship. Engagements included:
- ballet master and teacher for the Dance Company of NSW (now Sydney Dance CompanySydney Dance CompanyThe Sydney Dance Company is one of Australia's most successful and well-known contemporary dance companies. The company was founded in 1969 as the dance-in-education group Ballet in a Nutshell by Suzanne Musitz , later changing its name to Athletes and Dancers, and Dance Company ...
) - ballet master of the folk-dance group Dance Concert (1975), and later becoming its artistic director (1978)
- teacher, lecturer or choreographer with the Australian Ballet School, the Australian Ballet, all the state dance companies, the Victorian College of the ArtsVictorian College of the ArtsThe Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
, NIDANidaNida may refer to:* Nida, Lithuania* Nida in Poland* Nida , an ancient roman town in the northwestern suburbs of today's Frankfurt am Main, Germany* Nida, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Poland...
, University of Western SydneyUniversity of Western SydneyThe University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and many dance schools. - choreographer for Sydney Theatre CompanySydney Theatre CompanyThe Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
; five Australian Opera productions; the Royal New Zealand Ballet and University of Shanghai.
Folkloric festivals
One of his greatest achievements was his significant contribution to multiculturalismMulticulturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
through his involvement with the annual Shell National Folkloric Festival
Shell National Folkloric Festival
Shell National Folkloric Festival was an annual ethnic folk festival held in Australia. Sponsored by the Shell Group of Companies with a grant of $50,000, the first Shell National Folkloric Festival was held at the Concert Hall during the opening celebrations of the Sydney Opera House in 1973.In...
, sponsored by the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
with various partners, which he directed from 1979 to 1994. The festivals were held in Sydney at first but later in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
Awards
He has been twice honored by Mexico: in 1988 he was granted national homage by the Mexican government for "a whole life of dance", and in 2003 he received the homage of the National Institute of Fine Arts from the National Council for Culture and the Arts.The Sydney Eisteddfod
Sydney Eisteddfod
The Sydney Eisteddfod is an independent community based non-profit organisation limited by guarantee a registered charity in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and listed on the federal Register of Cultural Organisations eligible to receive tax-deductible donations. Directors and advisors are...
has an award in the "World Dance" category — the Guillermo Keys-Arenas Memorial Award, in his honor.