Music by Rincon Criollo!

Our Cultural Center's program on Puerto Rican Studies focuses on topics beyond the performing arts. Lecturers expert in select areas of Puerto Rican culture offer workshops in a wide range of topics including literature, food, history, arts, crafts, sports, and more. Are you an expert on a topic of Puerto Rican culture or history? We are happy to promote your work. Contact us for an opportunity to give a workshop!

Workshops

• Film Screening Event: ...And the Dead Shall Rise!, August 21, 2010, 7 pm
  Flyer: DeadShallRiseFlyer.pdf!

  Join us as we host film producers Carlos Aceves and Gabriel S. Gaytan for the Austin, Texas premier of "...and the dead shall rise!", a documentary film about the efforts of several Chicano activists in the 1980s to revive indigenous traditions once thought lost in a remote time:

  In 1969, under El Plan Espiritual de Aztlan, the Chicano Movement ushered in a renewal of the consciousness of mestizaje, the mixture of Spanish and Indian as a basis for cultural identity. By 1980 many Chicana/o activists had decided to steer a different course, that of reclaiming indigenous identity. "...and the dead shall rise" documents their efforts in both local and international settings, outlining an ideological framework that now resonates in nearly all Mexican American communities.

  Through a narrative guided by the words of 80 year old Rafael Guerrero we witness the literal rebirth of practices once thought lost in a remote time. Don Rafael, a Yaqui veteran of the Mexican Revolution, founding member of the United Farm Workers, and graduate of the University of California, speaks with a compelling authority. He convinces the viewer that his message was prophetic and it continues to resonate whenever we hear Evo Morales speak before the U.N. or read blogs about 2012 on the internet.

  The film premiered at the International Latino Film Festival in Chicago in 1990. Now you can participate in its revival and decide for yourself if don Rafael's prediction that the "dead shall rise" is becoming a reality. Join us for the Austin premier and participate in a dialogue of what constitutes an indigenous identity. Special guests for a panel discussion after the viewing include Dr. Mario Garza, Indigenous Cultures Institute; Dr. Tekina-eiru' Maynard, Tekina-Suania, Concilio Taino; and the film's producers Carlos Aceves and Gabriel S. Gaytan.

  This event will take place at the Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center, 701 Tillery Street, Austin, TX, 78702. For more information, contact PRFDance or Maria Rocha, Indigenous Cultures Institute, (512) 393-3310, ICIinfo@IndigenousCultures.org.

• 3rd Annual Taino Family Camping Trip, October 8-11, 2010

  Every year is amazing and we will do it again! In October, our PRFDance & Cultural Center members, our cultural arts students and their families will be enjoying our 3rd Annual Taino Camping Trip for the whole family. As each year, we will fly Cacike Caciba Opil of The Concilio Taino Guatu-Ma-Cu A Boriken to Austin for a special weekend that will celebrate Taino heritage and give our families an "outside the classroom," experience in Taino traditions. Enjoyed activities will including hiking Taino style -- with mayohuacan (log drum) and maracas! -- Naming and Coming of Age ceremonies, 1000 year ceremonial old ballgames of Batu, Taino artisanry, authentic Areytos (ceremonial dances), and more! Don't miss this camping event in the traditions we enjoy on Boriken! More details in the coming months.

• 2nd Annual Taino Family Camping Trip, October 9-12, 2009

  Last year was amazing and we will do it again! On October 9-12, 2009, our PRFDance & Cultural Center members, our cultural arts students and their families will be enjoying our 2nd Annual Taino Camping Trip for the whole family. This 4 day event will fly the Cacike Caciba Opil of The Concilio Taino Guatu-Ma-Cu A Boriken to Austin for a special weekend that will celebrate Taino heritage and give our families an "outside the classroom," experience in Taino traditions. Planned activities this year include: hiking Taino style -- we take our mayohuacan (log drum) and maracas with us whereever we go! -- coming of age and naming ceremonies, play 1000 year old ball game of batu, taller de artesania Taina and more! Don't miss this camping event in the traditions we enjoy on Boriken! This family event is sponsored by Ruta Maya Coffee, Fiesta Mart, and many private donations.

  

• 1st Annual Taino Camping Trip, Oct 10-13, 2008

  On Oct 10-13, our PRFDance & Cultural Center students and their families will be enjoying a 1st Annual Taino Camping Trip for the whole family at Granger Lake. We've reserved campsites for this 4 day event that will fly El Concilio Taino (http://conciliotainopr.org)'s Cacike Caciba Opil and Abuela Arani to Austin for a special weekend that will celebrate Taino heritage with educational activities that will include:
  • learn how to sculpt in clay Taino style (vasijas de barro)
  • learn how to make casava bread
  • play the Taino ballgame of Batu
  • a Taino naming ceremony
  • and of course, lots and lots of areitos!
  This project is sponsored in part by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture.

• Taino Batu' Ballgame & Celebration Areyto - Sunday, April 27, 2008, 2-5pm

  Calling all Tainos and Sports Fans! Our next 2008 Workshops in Puerto Rican Studies & Sports series invites you to bring the kids for a Family Day to learn the Ancient Taino ballgame called Batu'. With similarities to both soccer and volleyball, Batu' was the first game Europeans encountered that was played with a rubber ball. A ceremonial ballgame, Batu' was also played for competition and to resolve conflicts between communities. It has been regaining popularity in Puerto Rico and parts of the Carribean over recent years, and soon in Texas!

  Bring your maraca! After the game we'll be heating up our new Ceremonial Mayohucan (http://www.prfdance.org/manayani.htm) with a celebration Areyto to mark our first Taino community event! This event will take place on the lawn outside our Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center, 701 Tillery Street in Austin, and will be free and open to the public.

• Robert Clemente, "The Great One" with SURPRISE GUEST - Sunday, February 3, 2008, 2-4pm

  This event launches our 2008 Workshops in Puerto Rican Studies! Roberto Clemente was the first Latin American player elected to the baseball Hall of Fame, and was regarded by many as the finest all-around player of his era. In 1972, the Latino community lost one of the most widely idolized figures in sports history when Clemente died in a plane crash while on his way to Nicaragua to help in relief operations following a severe earthquake.

  On February 3rd, 2008 (2-4pm), Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance will offer a workshop on the life of Roberto Clemente. Edwin Baez, our workshop host will be presenting his lifetime collection of Clemente memorabilia. SURPRISE GUEST Zulma Clemente will be sharing personal memories about her Tio (uncle). Edwin will also bring a kit to teach children how to collect and price baseball cards. This event will be FREE and open to the public.

  Edwin Baez, a member of the University of Texas Technical Staff, teaches at Dept of Physics and is a die hard Clemente fan! Edwin will be the host of this 2008 Series that will offer workshops by Puerto Rican experts in a wide variety of topics.

• Poetry Workshop (Luis Pales Matos) - Oct 9, 2005, 2-4pm

  Our Puerto Rican Studies program proudly announces a a poetry workshop by Tomas Ayala-Torres entitled: "To the Rhythm of Nappy Hair and Mulatto Things," a recital and introduction to the poetry of Luis Pales Matos.

  This entertaining workshop will present the poetry of Pales, how it spans Afro-Caribbean literature, and what it means to Puerto Ricans. This workshop will be presented in Spanish and English by Puerto Rico's own Tomas Ayala-Torres, creative writer and translator with expertise in World Literature and Poetry.

  This two-hour workshop will take place on Sunday, October 9, 2005 from from 2-4pm at the Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center. Admission is $5, but FREE to current Cultural Center student/participants and FREE to PRFDance Familia Members! PLEASE RSVP - seating is limited.

• Art Showing and Vejigante Mask Workshop -- Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004, 1-3pm

  The Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center will feature Puerto Rican artist Lucy Llera in our next Workshop on Puerto Rican Studies. This workshop will display her artwork rich in Puerto Rican cultural themes and provide a hands-on art project for children. Lucy will also be bringing beautiful examples of carnival masks from Puerto Rico and teach us about their history. Her arts and crafts project will teach children how to make a vejigante mask of their very own to take home. Something fun for every age!

  This two-hour art showing and vejigante mask workshop will take place on Saturday, January 31, from 1-3pm at the Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center. Admission is FREE to current Cultural Center students and participants! Donations from visitors appreciated.

  Please register by email (dance@prfdance.org) or phone (512-251-8122) by January 25 to help estimate craft materials and refreshments. The Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center is located at 507B Pressler Street in Austin Texas (between MOPAC & Lamar, off 5th). Here's a FLYER for this event.

  Biography - Lucy Llera
  Lucy Llera was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico. She received her bachelors degree in art and education from the University of Puerto Rico, and was an art teacher for over 13 years in Cidra. In 1982 she moved to Texas where she studied art at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Afterwards she continued her teaching career in bilingual education, for which she has received awards. From 1984-93, Lucy studied painting with Warren Hunter, a respected artist in San Antonio, and later with Daniel Green and Dalhart Wingberg. She is a member of the Water Color Society, the Calligraphy Guild, and the Coppini Academy of Fine Arts. In Coppini, she received awards such as Artist of the Month and 2nd prize in oil painting. Since 1986 she has been a member of Sociedad Herencia Puertorriquena, a San-Antonio based Puerto Rican cultural organization, for whom she has created cultural-themed posters for their annual festivals.

  
  

• 500 Years of Puerto Rican Food - June 1, 2002, 1-3pm

  

  The Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance & Cultural Center will host Dr. Daisy Diaz-Alemany who will present an entertaining and historical lecture on the evolution of Puerto Rican food through 500 years of history, discovery to present time. This two-hour workshop will take us on a culinary journey through the three major ethnic influences of Puerto Rican culture -- native Taino, African, and European heritage.

  This workshop takes place on Saturday, June 1, 2002, from 1-3pm at the Austin Community College campus at Rio Grande in Room 343 on the 3rd Floor. This cost is $7, which covers refreshments and class materials.

  Early registration by email (dance@prfdance.org) before May 15th will help estimate class materials and refreshments. ACC's Rio Grand Campus is located at 1212 Rio Grande Street in Austin (corner with 12th Street). See map for directions - http://www3.austin.cc.tx.us/evpcss/rgc/map.htm

  Biography - Dr. Daisy Diaz-Alemany
  Dr. Daisy Diaz-Alemany is a Puerto Rican who has a profound and abiding love for everything culinary, and is a serious student of the relationship between food and culture in different countries. She has a Ph.D. from UT-Austin in Human Resources Development, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

  
  

• DRAMATIC READING and POETRY WORKSHOP, Sept. 22, 2001, 3-5pm.

  Mercedes Cruz-Gonzalez is an internationally recognized Puerto Rican poet who has performed her poetry all over the world. This two-hour workshop will include readings (in spanish) from her published work, "El Coqui," as well as exercises on creating poetry.

  When:	Saturday, Sept 22, 3-5pm
  Where:	Austin Community College campus at The Highland Business Center 5930 Middle Fiskville Rd. See map - http://www3.austin.cc.tx.us/evpcss/hbc/map.htm
  Room:	4th Floor, room 411
  Cost:	$3 to cover refreshments and class materials
  To Register:	dance@prfdance.org or 512-251-8122

  Please register - classroom seating is limited. This workshop is supported in part by the AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS.

  Biography - Mercedes Cruz-Gonzalez
  Born in Puerto Rico, Mercedes Cruz-Gonzalez is an internationally recognized poet. She has performed her poems in Tailandia, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Columbia, Panama and other countries. In Costa Rica she directed a radio program under the auspices of UNESCO. Mercedes is also a song writer, actress and journalist, and has worked in radio, theatre and film. Her songs have been interpreted by Enrique, winner of the Premio OTI of San Antonio, by Tejana singer Silvia Sol, pianist Paco Paco, and Tony Croatto, famous trovador of Puerto Rican music. In 1995, the National Hispanic Honor Society of the Southwest Texas State University (San Marcos) dedicated their edition of "Al Principio" to her work as a poet, composer and journalist, and for her contributions to hispanic culture.