The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture presents the renowned Calpulli Mexican Dance Company with its full-length show “Monarcas,” a tribute to the resilience, service and perseverance of the Mexican community in the United States. The performance will take place on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 3:00 pm in the Main Theater of Hostos Community College (CUNY), located at 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451.
“Monarchs” takes its name from the majestic monarch butterfly, whose annual journey across North America symbolizes migration and a world without borders. Through folk dance, live music and powerful storytelling, the work tells two stories that highlight the contribution of Mexican immigrants.
The first, Company E, pays tribute to the Mexican-American soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 141st Infantry, the only all-Mexican unit that fought in World War II, highlighting their service to a country that both welcomed and rejected them. The second story, Vineyards, celebrates the workers who transformed California land, guided by determined matriarchs, and how generations rose to become vineyard owners and experts in California wine production. Both narratives reflect the strength of work, courage and cultural tradition as drivers of the immigrant dream.
Tickets start at $35, with discounts for seniors, children, students and groups of 10 or more. They can be purchased online at www.hostos.cuny.edu/culturearts, by phone at 718-518-4455 (Monday-Friday, 10am–5pm), or at the Hostos Center box office. The institution is easily accessible from Manhattan, Queens and New Jersey, just 15–20 minutes from Times Square or Grand Central.
The presentation is part of the Freedom 250 celebration, commemorating 250 years of United States independence. With support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Calpulli pays tribute to Master Sergeant Roy Benavides, a Mexican-American hero with ties to Company E’s military history and the Latino community.
Since 1982, the Hostos Center has been a key cultural center for the Bronx, presenting theater, dance, music and visual arts that celebrate the diversity and cultural richness of the city. For its part, Calpulli promotes Mexican and Mexican-American cultural heritage through educational programs and professional presentations, reflecting the unity and community spirit that its name, in Nahuatl, means: “family” and “big house.”
