Alfredo “El Godo” Herrera, began his journey in son jarocho at a very young age via the local fiestas and fandangos in his hometown of Veracruz.  In 1989, he joined Mono Blanco’s workshops in son jarocho and in 1990 founded his group, Son La Plaga.

By the age of thirteen, this prodigy received his teaching credential in ‘zapateado and jarana’ (dance and music) from the IVEC, Instituto Veracruzano de Cultura.  By 1999, and having mastered several more instruments, he joined Son de Madera. Over the course of eight years he toured with them throughout Mexico, the United State, Canada, Cuba, Europe and Morocco.

He has shared the stage with musical luminaries, Eugenia León, Café Tacuba, Lila Downs, Maldita Vecindad, Los de Abajo, Petrona Martinez, Zack de la Rocha, Quetzal, Los Leones de la Sierra de Xichú, Los Camperos de Valles and Celso Duarte.

 

Alfredo “El Godo” Herrera, originario del puerto de Veracruz, inicia desde muy pequeño sus incursiones en el son jarocho en fandangos y fiestas populares. En 1989 se incorpora a los talleres de son jarocho impartidos por el grupo Mono Blanco, y es precisamente de esos talleres donde surge, en el año de 1990, el grupo Son la Plaga del cual es miembro y fundador.

En 1996 apenas contando con trece años, fue nombrado maestro titular del taller de zapateado y jarana en el Instituto Veracruzano de Cultura (IVEC) en el puerto de Veracruz, y en el año 1997, fue nombrado director artístico del grupo Son la Plaga, con quienes realiza, desde que inicia el grupo, diversas giras de presentación dentro y fuera del pais. En 1999, como ejecutante de jarana 2ª, quijada y zapateado, Maestro Herrera se integra al grupo Son de Madera participando durante 8 años en múltiples presentaciones en México, E.U.A, Canadá, Cuba, Europa y Marruecos.

De manera independiente en el 2000, viajó a Santiago de Cuba como invitado del grupo Rumbamba al Festival Del Fuego, dedicado a África. A compartido escenario con musicos como Eugenia León, Café Tacuba, Lila Downs, Maldita Vecindad, Los de Abajo, Petrona Martinez, Zack de la Rocha, Quetzal, Los Leones de la Sierra de Xichú, Los Camperos de Valles, Celso Duarte, por mencionar algunos.

 

At DUF 2017

VERACRUZ FANDANGO – (Teens & Adults, Ages 14+)

This class is for ALL level dancers ages 14+ and will feature tecnica de zapateado in the improvisational style most commonly seen at a “fandango”. Repertoire will include a son de monton, son de pareja and a specialty dance. Son Jarocho is a musical tradition from the South of Veracruz, Mexico, that encompasses poetic lyricism, improvisation and dance. It was formed in the melding of Arab-Spanish, African and indigenous Mexican cultures. Son Jarocho is played at fandangos; important community celebrations where people come together to prepare food, dance, sing and play music, often all night long.

This class is also open to musicians who wish to expand their repertoire of chord and strum patterns. Musicians should have a basic knowledge of chord progressions and must bring their own jarana or guitarra de son.

The word Zapateado describes the percussive footwork central to the fandango and the music of Son Jarocho. Zapateado is performed on a tarima, a wooden dance platform that is itself considered one of the principal instruments of the fandango. In this class, you will learn basic steps that define each of the sones that are played in the fandango. You will learn repiqueteos (hard percussive footwork), cepillados (soft brush steps and patterns) and mudanzas (signature sequence of steps) for each son. Finally, you will learn to improvise steps and step patterns.

 

DUF 2017 “Alma Indigena” will take place on April 7, 8 & 9 in Fresno, CA.

$ave on registration fees by enrolling early!

Early Registration now through 12/20/16

Regular Registration 12/21/16 through 2/8/17

Late Registration 2/9/17 through 3/30/17

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