Mexico Now Festival: Coro Acardenchado

Join Coro Acardenchado (The Acardenchado Choir) for a night of freestyle improvisation, body percussion, and amazing vocal techniques. This unique choir was founded by musician Juan Pablo Villa in Mexico City as an homage to the cardenche song, a traditional a cappella chant for trios from Durango, located in north-central México. The term cardenche comes from cardo (thistle)—a plant comprised of thorns that are more painful to remove than to get pricked by—and is an allegory of love.

Coro Acardenchado is directed by Juan Pablo Villa, in collaboration with María Emilia Martínez and Leika Mochán, and also hosts guest directors such as Tareke Ortiz and Leonadro Soqui. The group has performed across multiple Mexican theaters and forums, including the renowned International Cervantino Festival and the Day of the Dead Parade in Mexico City.