Danza Ketzal/Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue

Intentionally listed with two names, Danza Ketzal in Spanish means “Ketzal Dance.” Digging deeper into the Indigenous Nahuatl language, “Kalpulli” means “a community,” while “KetzalCoatlicue” is “Precious Mother Earth.” The dance troupe's ties to precolonial Mexico are deeply embedded in its work. When Spain invaded the land now known as Mexico, much of Indigenous dance was relegated to oral tradition and later permitted only in religious ceremonies. Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue reclaims this dance tradition and maintains its roots in Indigenous storytelling, environmentalism, and honoring the ancestors who came before, as well as their resilience in the past and present. Indigenous musical instruments, considered gifts from nature, are used in performances, including sacred drumming, shells, and seeds to keep rhythm. Instruction for the troupe is led several times a year by Indigenous dancers from Mexico, and the troupe also shares information locally and globally through cultural workshops.

Enjoy Danza Ketzal’s feather-draped, copal-smoke enveloped performances at Minneapolis events like Twin Cities Pride, the Minneapolis Monarch Festival, and the Mayday Parade.

Ballet Folklorico/Mexico Azteca Dance School

Rooted in a more contemporary history of Mexico, Ballet Folklorico and the Mexico Azteca Dance School strive to showcase Mexico's many regions, dance traditions, and culture. Its use of folkloric dance and ballet, paired with textiles, music, and synchronized dances, is a lush display of history and art form throughout time. Nods to Indigeneity, Afro-Caribe culture, ranching life, and much more are present onstage in the music and the movement of the troupe. For those who want to take part in the movement, the Mexico Azteca Dance School teaches three levels of classes.

Find Ballet Folklorico performances at local community events in locations like the Midtown Global Market, Dia de Los Muertos Celebrations, the Minneapolis Monarch Festival, and at its annual dance recital. Ballet Folklorico's Facebook page is the best place for updates.

Gustavo Lira

While he is a multi-disciplinary artist, educator, and activist, Mexican artist Gustavo Lira is a prolific muralist in Minneapolis. Known for weaving together pieces of his cultural identity, Mesoamerican Indigenous symbolism, and natural elements and reflections of place and space, his work can be found on the outside of buildings and inside restaurants, libraries, and local businesses. Several of his collaborative pieces can be found along East Lake Street’s self-guided mural tour like “The Healer”, featuring an interpretation of Mother Earth, Indigenous corn, and the cosmos, located at 2932 Clinton Ave.

Melodee Strong

Some people need to see a representation of themselves to imagine certain possibilities. Growing up as a Latinx girl in small-town Minnesota, muralist Melodee Strong’s desire for–and a lack of–seeing faces like hers in media, in museums, on the shelves of toy stores, or even in the population around her, lit a fire within to create multicultural images so that the next generation wouldn’t have to look as hard to find themselves in the world around them. One might say she took this to the largest scale she could, with numerous murals often depicting compelling portraits of Black and Brown people intermingled with floral and faunal designs. Her murals are rooted in advocacy, belonging, and centering communities of color, women, and children. She is also a multi-disciplinary artist who has contributed to many children’s books. Her work can be found all over Minneapolis with locations listed on her website, like the exterior of Hamdi Restaurant, on the corner of Cedar Ave. and Lake St, featuring portraits of BIPOC youth, bright flowers, designs, and geometric patterns.

Jimmy Longoria

Jimmy Longoria is originally from Texas, but the septuagenarian’s impact in Minneapolis has made waves within the local and national arts scene. Layered brushstrokes and rainbow splashes of bright colors create movement and depth that beg the eyes to dance across the canvas. His work is intergenerational, as he is an educator and mentor who works with youth to pass along painting and mural techniques through his organization, Mentoring Peace Through Art. He believes that “Art from the heart is an act of justice and liberation—most importantly, the unification of humanity.” Jimmy's website and Instagram page (@jimmylongoriaartist) are the best places to keep tabs on his work.

Genessis Lopez

Mexican artist Genessis Lopez is an artist, illustrator, and educator whose work focuses on painting and digital illustration. Her subject matter is often rooted in the natural world, featuring brightly colored abstract flowers and plants. While art was always a part of her life growing up, she never had an opportunity to visit a museum until she was in college, and it took her until 2020 to see art as a viable career. Today, she teaches digital illustration at a local arts college, inspiring aspiring artists to define their own futures. Find her work, art openings, and more on her Instagram page (@genlopezart).

Ricardo Levins Morales

Ricardo Levins Morales is a well-known local artist hailing from Puerto Rico who’s been living in Minneapolis since he hitchhiked to the city on Halloween in 1967. His progressive political art and distinct, boldly lined illustrative style have been present in local social-justice movements that uplift migrants, laborers, and historically marginalized communities because he recognizes their intermingled struggles. His recognition of the world's pains and of those around us extends to a reverence for the natural world, too. Growing up in the mountains of Puerto Rico instilled in him a respect for nature and a strong sense of environmental justice that has permeated his work over the last 50+ years. Messages of resilience and resistance, along with images from nature, are prominent themes in his work. He sees art as a form of political medicine, and his art studio and storefront on Minnehaha makes it easy to access the multitude of books, calendars, zines, buttons, stickers, prints, and more found within its walls. Visit Ricardo's website and Instagram page (@ricardolevinsmorales) to keep up with his work.

Victor Yepez

Ecuadorian artist Victor Yepez immigrated to the United States in 1997. As an art teacher, metal sculptor, and paint and mosaic muralist, he is inspired by the world around him and believes that art is for everyone. His value system is rooted in environmental sustainability, and he utilizes recycled materials in his works whenever possible. Abstract and brightly-colored paintings, bicycle-themed found objects bent into bicycles to encourage alternative transportation. Explore his work at his studio at the Solar Arts Building in NE Minneapolis.