ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Director Artístico
Jesús "JACOH" Cortés, began his training in Mexican folk dance when he was 6 years old under the direction of his great uncle Juan Natoli. In 2000, he started dancing with Ballet Folklórico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez in the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City after he was trained as a Deer Dancer under the direction of Lucas Zarate Lobato. He was a soloist in the role of The Deer Dance “La Danza Del Venado” for Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez He has toured Mexico, Europe and the US. He was the company choreographer and lead teacher for Los Niños de Santa Fe y Compañia. In addition he taught hundreds of elementary school children as part of the Arts in the Schools program in Española, New Mexico. He joined Moving People Dance Theater performing Contemporary, Jazz and Modern in June 2005. In 2006 he was a founder and artistic director of Arte Sin Fronteras, a dance school/company in rural Northern New Mexico now known as Moving Arts Española.
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Currently, he lives in San Francisco and works as an artist in residence with the SFUSD and Brava Theater.
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He is founder and Artistic Director of Cuicacalli, and is the lead teacher and choreographer for Cuicacalli's Ballet Folklórico and Contemporary Dance program. He is also a lead teacher and former dancer of Dancing Earth. He joined Printz Dance Project Company in 2009 as a guest artist for their tenth anniversary, He also taught dance classes at ALICE (Arts and Literacy in Children’s Education) program where he also performed in their production called “Burning Libraries,” a multi-media performance about immigration stories. Mr. Cortés is also a dance consultant and choreographer for Ballet Folklórico de Stanford University. He also choreographed and performed John O'Keefe's ‘Mystical Abyss’ directed by Theatre of Yugen's Founder, Yuriko Doi, at the ODC Theater.
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Mr. Cortés has been presenting Cuicacalli's annual production "Tradición, Movimiento y Pasión" at the Brava Theater and in community events in San Francisco and the Bay Area since 2007.
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In 2012 Mr. Cortes premiere Cuicacalli Contemporary Dance Company. He has developed three works: “Raíces sin Limites” (Endless roots) “500 Years of Resistance” and “Cicatrices” (Scars). He has presented his work with Cuicacalli Contemporary Dance Company at Baile en la Calle The Mural Dances, San Francisco Son Jarocho Festival, Cuba Caribe, FLACC! Festival of Latin American Contemporary Choreographers, San Francisco Carnaval, and D.I.R.T Dancing In Revolt(ing) Times.
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In 2013, Mr. Cortés choreographed and performed a section of the production “Noche de Muertos” with Calidanza Dance Company at the SF Symphony ‘Dia de los Muertos’ Community Concert.
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In 2014, Mr. Cortes was commissioned by SF Symphony to choreograph and perform a solo to the music of “La Llegada de los Muertos” played by the SF Symphony for ‘Dia de los Muertos’ Community Concert.
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In 2017, Mr. Cortes toured to Lisbon Portugal to perform Imperial Silence "Una Opera Muerta," directed by John Jota Leaños.
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In 2018 Mr. Cortes toured with Cuicacalli Ballet Folklórico and Mariachi Juvenil La Misión to Española New Mexico to performed for hundreds of students at the public elementary schools of Rio Arriba County, and at the Española Community College for Moving Arts Española tenth anniversary.
