Choreographer Janet Johns brings her energy to “La Virgen de Tepeyac”

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El Teatro Campesino’s “La Virgen de Tepeyac,” currently in production in San Juan Bautista, movingly portrays the melding of 16th-century Mexican culture with that of Catholic Spain—first by force of invasion and then by the compassionate intervention of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who appears four times before the Chichimec peasant Juan Diego.

The strength of the Indigenous peoples in their resistance is energetically portrayed in dances choreographed by Janet Johns, founder of the Esperanza del Valle folklorico group, who has been working with El Teatro since 1986.

“We appreciate her willingness to come every year and be part of our productions,” said Teatro founder Luis Valdez. “Janet has tapped into the Aztec traditions for this play, and our collaborations have enriched each others’ work.”

The tradition of using Aztec dance in Teatro productions dates back to 1970, when Valdez worked with Andrés Segura, a Mexican dance teacher. With the restoration of Mission San Juan Bautista in 1974, the theater company expanded its two Christmas productions, “La Virgen” and “La Pastorela,” to encompass the entire interior of the mission, allowing room for extended dance scenes.

Johns took over the choreography of “La Pastorela” in 1987 after performing for the troupe as a dancer the year before. But she had been in contact with El Teatro even earlier when Valdez’s company “borrowed” a few of her company’s male dancers for one of his productions and held a Pastorela workshop with her students in Watsonville.

Johns intensively researched Indigenous and Aztec dance before she took on the work for “La Virgen,” drawing on many sources before developing her interpretations.

“I read books, watched videos and looked at different groups as I developed my dances,” she said. “I am not an official Dansante [Aztec dancer], and these are not authentic ceremonial dances. I must remind people that these are dances created for the play and performed by a dance group.”

One of the challenges this year was adapting the play—and the choreography—from its staging in the largest mission in California to the much smaller Teatro setting in what used to be a packing shed. Johns initially held a series of Zoom meetings with Director Kinan Valdez and Artistic Director Christy Sandoval before coming to see the space where the stage would be built.

“At the Mission,” Johns said, “we used to have 12 adult dancers. We initially thought we would be limited to six dancers but realized we had to have at least eight. We decided that would work with a 16-foot circular stage, and Kinan would get the look he wanted.”

One scene, in which Juan Diego tries to evade a character who is following him, requires offstage actors to simulate water by waving yards of undulating blue cloth, which Johns initially thought would not be possible.  

“It is just because the space is so small,” she said. “But Kinan was open to figuring out how to stage it. It’s just so wonderful working with him over the years because he’s just so open to different elements.”

One thing that has not changed is the intense rehearsals of the major dance scenes held by the dancers and musicians before each performance. 

“Physically dance is not easy and is very trying,” Johns said, “And to come out cold and barefoot is even harder. Warming up every single performance is important just for the health and safety of the dancers, particularly with the smaller stage. And it gives us satisfaction.”

Johns said that, despite the scaled-down production, she believes the play still tells an important story and maintains the connection it established many years ago at the mission with the community.

“It enriches people’s lives, gives them hope and renews their faith,” Johns said. “It is a story of forgiveness that needs to be told. As a choreographer and dancer, I hope it’ll open people’s hearts and inspire them.” 

Johns welcomed the chance to return to her role in “La Virgen,” the first live production of the play in six years. When rehearsals started, she said she found herself tearing up from all the memories that came back to her.

“I feel honored to have been a Teatro choreographer for so long,” Johns said. “Others have directed the play, but the elements have always remained. And the dances have always been well received. I’m thankful that what I put into place so many years ago is still here.” 

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