Oakland Ballet Company Marks 10th Anniversary Season of Luna Mexicana at Historic Paramount Theatre

The Oakland Ballet Company announced final staging preparations on Tuesday for the milestone tenth anniversary production of its acclaimed Día de los Muertos celebration, 'Luna Mexicana', opening at the historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Oakland next month. Company dancers and guest artists gathered for full technical rehearsals, celebrating a decade of artistic innovation that has made the cultural ballet an East Bay autumn staple.

Conceived and choreographed by Artistic Director Graham Lustig, the vibrant family-friendly dance spectacle follows a young girl named Luna as she embarks on an enchanting dream journey to celebrate and honor ancestors during Mexico's Day of the Dead. The landmark anniversary season features guest appearances by Ballet Folklórico México Danza and live musical accompaniment by renowned regional ensemble Mariachi Mexicanisimo, blending athletic classical ballet with traditional regional folk dance traditions. Elaborate skeletal catrina costumes and sugar-skull masks bring Mesoamerican folkloric folklore vibrantly to life on stage.

To celebrate a decade of cultural performances, the company has commissioned newly expanded orchestral arrangements and hand-painted scenic backdrops honoring East Bay Mexican-American heritage. The production is supported in part by competitive grant funding from the Alameda County Arts Commission and the Oakland Cultural Affairs Department. In addition to public evening and matinee concerts, Oakland Ballet will host three dedicated educational morning performances for thousands of public school students from across the Oakland Unified and West Contra Costa school districts, providing complimentary curriculum guides examining Mexican folklore, music, and dance history.

East Bay arts patrons and cultural leaders praised the annual production for enriching regional performing arts while fostering deep cross-cultural appreciation. Following each performance, audience members are invited to participate in community sugar-skull craft workshops and view elaborate Day of the Dead ofrenda altar exhibits in the theater's grand Art Deco lobby. Local visual artists curate the memorial altars in collaboration with community youth groups and cultural historians.

Performances of Luna Mexicana take place Friday, November 6, through Sunday, November 8, at the Paramount Theatre located at 2025 Broadway in Oakland. Tickets start at $25 and can be reserved online at oaklandballet.org or through the Paramount Theatre box office at (510) 893-3136, with student and group ticket discounts available upon inquiry. Arts patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets early, as milestone anniversary performances routinely sell out in advance.