Art Form: ballet folklórico and Spanish flamenco dance
Location(s): St. Johns (Ingham County)
Rosa Lopez Killips
Portrait of Rosa Lopez Killips
Rosa Lopez Killips (1949-2020) is the daughter of two Lansing area organizers in the Mexican-American and Latino communities, Eleuterio and Edelmira “Delma” Lopez. Rosa began dancing ballet folklórico (Mexican folkloric dance) at age ten under Jose Orta, who recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue other Latin and Hispanic styles of dance such as flamenco. She could often be seen dancing alongside her brother, 2023 Michigan Heritage Awardee Lorenzo Lopez. She went on to study flamenco in Spain and ballet folklórico at Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández in Mexico City, and returned to Lansing to found her own dance company, Ballet Hispanico. Her passion for education around her cultural dances extended to teaching various school programs, organizing a wide range of community events, giving lectures related to dance and Hispanic cultures, designing and sewing costumes, directing large scale dance productions, and even creating a traveling dance demonstration entitled “Dance: The Ancient Heritage of the Mexican People.”
An avid community organizer, Rosa regularly wrote grants in support of Latino arts around the state. She served on the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the Greater Lansing Arts Council, and the board of Cristo Rey Community Center. She organized popular annual events like Dia de los Muertos celebrations and worked as the community outreach director for the Lansing School District. Her activism expanded beyond her ethnic heritage and also involved organizing for LGBTQIA+ communities and those experiencing financial insecurity. Rosa also founded and directed the Hispanic Cultural Center in Lansing and worked with the city to proclaim a week in September (Hispanic Heritage Month) as “Hispanic Heritage Pride Week.”
In addition to her skill and expertise as a dancer, Rosa was a talented visual artist, jewelry maker, and graphic designer. She infused her visual art with the same reverence and celebration of her Mexican-American culture that was evident in her dancing through her use of color, movement, and historical references. After her passing, an exhibition at Casa de Rosado Gallery and Cultural Center celebrated her work with an exhibition entitled “¡Siempre Aqui!,” which featured many of her paintings as well as an ofrenda with memories and tributes to Rosa. Cada de Rosado founder Theresa Rosado stated, “Rosa was instrumental in sharing her time, patience, and love with students in the Lansing School District and encouraging them to pursue a higher degree and the arts.” Her impact is without question and her legacy lives on through the thousands of students and community members enchanted by her artistry.
- Micah Ling, 2024
