Dance knows no borders. It transcends language as it infuses culture into every nation it touches. Performative expression like Spanish dance is inherently rooted in Indigenous, Hispanic, and American cultural exchange. Touring artists were nomadic harbingers of culture as the Spanish dancer came to represent a pan-Hispanic identity and became the brokers of culture between New England and the Spanish West in the early 18th century, and indeed across the Americas.

Spanish Legacies is a historical exhibition of photographs, videos, and artifacts showcasing how Spanish dance came to existence in Arizona, as told through the stories of four influential dancers: Laura Moya-Rosner (1914–2007), Adelino “Eddie” Fernandez (1901–1978), Lydia Torea, and Dini Roman. As the artists performed, taught, traveled, and settled in Arizona, they connected our desert with a greater world of dance—one that directly connects Arizona across the United States, frames Arizona within a pan-Hispanic American identity, and encapsulates Arizona’s Spanish legacy.

This exhibition was co-curated by Julia Chacon of Arizona State University and Brittany Arnold of Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation.

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