Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Arte Para La Gente: Adios Sonia

One of Colombia’s icons of dance, Sonia Osorio, passed away yesterday at the age of 83.

In 1960 she created the Colombian Ballet, a dance troupe that she helped lead in promoting Colombia’s traditional arts worldwide. Last year she received one of Colombia’s highest civilian awards, the Order of Boyacá, in recognition of her tireless efforts over the past six decades.

As mentioned in Colombia Reports:
While Osorio also worked as a renowned designer and journalist, it was through the art of dance that she devotedly portrayed Colombia's ancestral roots mixed with its contemporary culture. This work was most evident in the 30 years of input she did for folkloric dances at the famous Barranquilla Carnival.
Osorio’s son, Rodrigo Obregon, told the local press that his mother’s legacy is one that “cannot be allowed to die.” Hopefully his words will ring true for many years to come.

Below is a brief clip of the Colombian Ballet performing the joropo, a form of folkloric dance not only popular in Colombia but also in neighboring Venezuela:

Video Source - YouTube
Online Sources- El Tiempo, Radio Caracol, Colombia Reports

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