OUR ACTIVITIES OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2009

OUR ACTIVITIES OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2009

Presentation of the Camerino 4 dance group.

On the night of Friday, the 25th of September, we were graced with the presence of the contemporary dance group Camerino 4, which presented the work titled Acrílico. In this work, under the direction of Magdalena Brezzo, different movements associated with the techniques of release, gestural expressions that hint expressive nuances, sensuality, dares, sensitivity, and humor, were performed which represent the dancing of Camerino 4. The group has a history of more than eight years in which they have accomplished occupying a position that is recognized in contemporary Mexican dance, while also projecting an international status, and have been invited to such places as the Sziget Festival (Hungry), the Bienal de Danze del Caribe (Cuba), and the Chase Latino Festival (New York), with the same performance that was presented on our Taxco Campus.

The Digitization of Taxco’s Historic Archives.

As part of the project of the digitization and conservation of the Historic Archives of Taxco, the director Professor Javier Cuétara Priede made the appropriate steps to rescue this important archive that represents the body of a great historic, social, and linguistic part or our country. Beginning on the 1st of October of this year (2009), a special place was provided to dedicate to the work of history experts Erika Peláez Pastrana and Mercedes García Zapoteco, along with the coordination of the teacher Teresa Pavía Miller – investigator of the Centro INHA, of Guerrero, who impart began photographing each of the files of this historic archive. The efforts of this digitization project of the entire historic archive and the replacement of boxes and folders, form the “Integral Project of Anthropology and History of Northern Guerrero, in the line of History”, and is a collaboration with UNAM and the CEPE campus in Taxco.

Literary Gathering, with the participation of professors Alicia Fonol and Itzel Sánchez.

From the 5th to the 23rd of October, a literary club was formed at CEPE-Taxco, consisting of enthusiastic parents who wait for their sons or daughters to finish their English class. From this experience, these parents experienced favorable aspects of daily life, such as: reflection, and sharing. In addition, through these literary texts, the participants were able to enjoy recreation with the fictitious situations. As participants of this experience, we truly believe that these spaces contribute to the development of higher levels of understanding and culture. In the end, the participants wanted to continue with these activities.

Forum on the multicultural universities of Latin America.

With another anniversary (the 517th) of the discovery of America, this 12th of October of 2009, the University of the South (UNISUR) took advantage of the opportunity to host in the state of Guerrero, a conference to discuss the importance of higher education directed to the groups marginalized in our America, such as native people. In a form of Congress, various Latin-American universities converged, including some students and professors from Colombia, Argentina, and Peru. One of the objectives of the Forum was to discuss the future of higher education in multicultural terms, considering ethnic-cultural diversity in our societies. In addition to international transcendence, this event served as an awareness for the State Government of C.P. Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, to recognize through the representation, the existence of the South University, where many natives and persons of African origin study. This action of the state government was very important for UNISUR, and through such tactics it has been officially recognized and such studies have been validated, which will now allow for economic support for higher education in the state of Guerrero.

Contemporary Dance Performance with the Quiatora Monorriel group.

On Thursday, the 22nd of October, the Quiatora Monorriel dance group gave a presentation at CEPE-Taxcos CADAC with the work: Danza Minima (a2/v3), which was an original idea from the movement of Evoé Sotelo, and performed by her under the direction of Benito González. This performance included visual projections in real time filmed by José Luis Garcia Nava, which was a spacious scenic design with different lightings, and also included ceramic hands, and clothing design by Mauricio Ascencio. Danza Minima is an experimental Project that develops the minimal body movements to maximum expression in movement, music, scenic space, and video.

“Ofrenda for the Day of the Dead” at the Vice Royal Art Museum.

On October 28th, there was another commemoration for the Day of the Dead at the Vice Royal Art Museum, with the participation of the Cultural Representative of the Federal Republic Embassy of Germany, Claudia Kilp. The event, with the attendance of Professor Rodrigo Espino, was dedicated to the German writer and naturalist Alejandro von Humboldt, to the Uruguayan writer Mario Benedetti, to the Argentine troubadour Mercedes Sosa, to the Taxquenian painter Amador Lugo Guadarrama, and to Mrs. Carlota Von Wutenau, the latest Taxquenian owner of the Casa Humboldt. With a brief ceremony, those in attendance lit a small candle to adorn the “Ofrenda”, which was followed by a talk from the Cultural Representative Claudia Kilp. She was graciously surprised at the happiness of remembering the dead that is displayed in Mexico, as she commented that remembering the dead in her country is filled with sadness. At the end, there was an official declaration of the inauguration of the exposition in remembrance of Humboldt, who spent some time in Taxco at the beginning of the 19th Century.

The “Ofrenda” for the Day of the Dead at CEPE-Taxco.

On the 29th of October, the “Ofrenda” for the day of the dead was organized, and to commemorate the occasion, there was a performance from CEPE’s theater group. The “Ofrenda” was assembled by students and Spanish professors, and this year it was dedicated to Mario Benedetti, and Jorge Reyes. In the afternoon, the “Ofrenda” was presented to the community with participation from the higher level Spanish students from Vietnam, who commented on their impressions of this Mexican festival. After that, the professor Fran Frey gave a description of the holiday Halloween in the United States along with the history and origin of witches in Europe. There was also a presentation given by students from CEPE-Taxco’s theater group of a dramatic poem by Jaime Sabines. To conclude the event, the English professors gave out candy to those in attendance, and all were invited to enjoy some of the traditional “Pan de Muerto” (bread for the Day of the Dead), and coffee.

Students from CEPE-Taxco on the radio station Soy Guerrero.

On Tuesday, November 3rd, students from one of the higher levels of Spanish, Trang Nguyen and Linh Tran, from Vietnam, visited the radio station of “Soy Guerrero”, located on the same premises of the ExHacienda El chorrillo. There, the students gave a prepared oral presentation describing there country and culture. The radio announcer Juan Manuel Bahena also took the opportunity to interview the students. It was very interesting to hear new aspects about this country since most only relate it with the war. The students spoke about the importance of tourism, the food, and other attractions. In the end, the announcer invited the two students to help out with the publicity campaign for the stations. He asked them to say in their own language, and then to repeat it in Spanish, a greeting including their names, their place of origin, where they live, a common cuisine from their country, the most popular artist from their country, and then to end with the phrase “Soy Guerrero, transcending boarders.” With this activity, other students from CEPE were called upon representing Canada, The United States, Switzerland, and Japan. The Radio Station requested assistance for other sessions during the festival times in December, and with the New Year. The other takes that were recorded resulted in being very interesting and attractive.

Meeting of the Citizen Council of Migration at the ExHacienda del Chorrillo.

On the morning of Tuesday, November 3rd, there was a meeting with the director of CEPE-Taxco, Professor Javier Cuétara Priede, and the Citizen Council of Migration, of which he is the president. After this, there was a conference on the theme of “Trafficking, and the treatment of people” of which attended our student and academic populace. The conference was under the direction of Lic. Estela Alexandra Correa Torres, who expressed the seriousness of this world problem, and mentioned the operation methods of these mafia groups and the process of abduction, transportation, reception, and exploitation. The trafficking of people includes multiple types of exploitation, such as sexual, slave labor, and the sales of organs, among others. Many recommendations were given to prevent and combat this crime.

Oral Presentations at Gaby Brimmer.

On November 6th, with the intent to accredit students in the Intermediate level 2 for their midterm oral exam, the students prepared presentations for students in levels five and six at the primary school Gaby Brimmer, which is primarily a bilingual school located in the city of Taxco. This way, the young students were able to know more about animals from Australia, and interesting traditions from New Mexico, in the United States. When the presentations were finished, there was a brief interchange in English. The professors and directors of this school appreciated this practice, which with out a doubt contributes to the students understanding of other world cultures and gives the opportunity for students to practice in contextual and authentic situations with what they have learned in the classroom.

Take on the Protest of the Citizen Council for Culture and the Arts of Taxco.

On November 11th, in the Cabildo del H. Town Council Hall of Taxco, and in the presence of various members of the same Town Council, the Municipal President, Lic. Álvaro Burgos Barrera, after a brief discussion, took a protest with the government members of the Citizen Council for the Culture and Arts of Taxco. This council has as its mission to integrate a work plan to contribute to the rescue, promotion, and broadcasting of each and every one of the artistic and cultural expressions generated in the municipal of Taxco de Alarcón. On behalf of CEPE-Taxco, two representatives are provided, the professors Javier Cuétara Priede and Rodrigo Espino Hernández, who share, with other distinguished people from Taxco, the responsibility of the work for the culture of Taxco.

Photography studio of the ExHacienda el Chorrillo.

On the 10th and 11th of November at CEPE-Taxco, there was a visit from the teacher Lorena Alcara, a great Mexican photographer who has participated in multiple expositions both individual and collective in Mexico and abroad and has received a great number of awards and distinctions on the national and international levels. Today, she is collaborating with the National Institute of Fine Arts and with the Coordination of Cultural Broadcasting of UNAM, and is giving classes at the Intercontinental University. Professor Alcaraz came to the ExHacienda el Chorrillo, with a traditional Hasselblad camera and a digital camera to capture the magic and enchantment of the different scenery of the campus. With the different photographs that were taken, professor Alcaraz will present an exposition with intent to promote the ExHacienda del Chorrillo in different spaces of UNAM’s University City, in Morelia, Querétaro, and Tlaxcala, among other places. .

Presentation of the musical group “Desterroniq” in Taxco’s Zocalo.

On Wednesday, November 11th, after mid day, there was a performance by the musical group Desterroniq in the kiosc of Taxco’s Zocalo, in collaboration with CEPE-Taxco, and the culture department of Taxco’s City Council. Desterroniq is an electronic musical project called “live act” which consists of the use of analog and electronic instruments, of which the experimentation of new music is created with a base in software; this is a project that has more than two years in development. The public that was present appreciated the mix of sounds and rhythms for more than an hour and a half .

Presentation of Ballet for the New Century, in CADAC.

On Thursday, the 12th of November, there was a presentation of Ballet for the New Century, a company from the city of Monterrey, N.L., under the direction of Javier Rodríguez. The public from the campus was able to appreciate the talent of eight ballerinas who presented a spectacle for an hour and a half, with an eclectic repertoire, which included classical pieces, neoclassical, and contemporary works. Those in attendance were captivated by the force of each movement with all of the performances and by the body expressions that were transmitted in each moment; the public applauded the talent of these young dancers. This presentation was made possible by CONACULTA and CEPE-Taxco.

Visit of the restoration expert Claudia Sánchez Gándara to give an opinion on the condition of Taxco’s historic archive.

On the morning of Saturday, the 14th of November, there was a visit by the restorer Claudia Sánchez Gándara, who was received by the Director Professor Javier Cuétara Priede and by the Academic Secretary Professor Rodrigo Espino Hernández, so that she could give her opinion regarding the condition of the protected historical archive of Taxco. To elaborate on the said opinion, the restorer made an evaluation of the location and took various measurements of the place where the archive is held, including taking pictures of the interior and exterior of the premises. Later the conditions of where the digitized documents were to be stored was inspected, corresponding to the colonial period, the restorer showed the steps needed to be taken in order to secure the cleanliness and conservation of these documents, which included cleaning methods, dehydration of fungus, and placements of reinforcements. This process can be appreciated, and the historians can also learn that they are effecting the digitization of the Historic Archives of Taxco .

Musical Presentation The Acid Nol.

One more time CEPE-Taxco and the Cultural Committee of the City Council of Taxco, presented on Friday, the 20th of November, at eight o’clock in the evening, an experimental electronic Project called The acid nol, which has been developing for more than three years. The musical demonstration has as its influence experimental acid-electric sounds, using synthesizers, urban samples, and rough textures, of which were demonstrated on this night in Taxco’s Zocalo. The local spectators and visitors were able to hear this fusion of styles. Eduardo Nol (The acid nol) developed part of his studies in the electronic music production in the Galerón Pánico de Masas. He also took courses in the art of sound at Radio Art of the Lake House, and studied multichannel techniques in audio at the Fonoteca Nacional. Today he is developing other alternative projects, such as Cabaretito Sonoro and Línea B, and is the producer and general director of the collective The colores. He also participates in the production of the Festival Fusible Tour UNAM 2009, as well as in the “footbride” Más allá de las texturas in the olympic swimingpool of UNAM .

Participation of CEPE-Taxco in the Flower Games of the 72nd National Silver Fair.

This past 22nd of November, the professor Jorge Salinas, the Coordinator of CEPE-Taxco’s Spanish Department, was invited by the teacher Maria Inés Carbajal, a distinguished promoter of culture, to participate as a judge in the Flower Games. He shared this honor with the teacher Aurelio Sandoval, Dr. José Natividad Popoca, and the teacher Fernando Vergara. On this occasion, they evaluated around 30 poems and chose three winners. The first place was the poem “Unas manos maltratadas”, that gives homage to silver artisans, second place, “Hechicera”, was a love poem, and third place “Verso al canto del jilguero” was in memory of Rafful Kraem, the composer who sang of the beauty of Taxco and it’s region.

CEPE-Taxco in the Annual Convention of the Languages of San Diego.

On the 20th through the 22nd of November, in the city of San Diego, California, there was the Annual Convention of World Languages, internationally known as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, which looks to promote and connect all learning centers and publications that exist around the world that are dedicated to the teaching of foreign languages. On this occasion, CEPE was represented by Professor Javier Cuétara Priede, our director in Taxco, who established contact with diverse learning centers in the United States and Canada in order to promote our activities and to attract new foreign students. This was also a great opportunity to know what other schools offer in Spanish education, with regard to competition with CEPE-Taxco in the international market.