Rebuilding my Mother's Home after Fire

Dear Friends,

Last Monday, June 12, 2023, my mother’s house in México caught fire. Fortunately, my sister Lorena’s quick thinking prevented any personal tragedies, but the fire destroyed part of my mother's library along with the central part of the house. Fortunately, the portion of the library that housed recordings of her ballets was spared.

My mother, GLORIA CONTRERAS, is México’s greatest choreographer. A disciple of George Balanchine, she created more than 300 ballets and directed her own company for 45 years. The house is full of memories and works of art that she accumulated in a lifetime. Everything about her home is beautiful, and I hope eventually to make it into a museum like Frida Kahlo’s Blue House.

The architect Blanca de Castrejón designed the home as a romantic gesture to her husband. She built the home around a beautiful courtyard from which he could serenade her. This captivating space was adorned with a breathtaking rose garden and named the house the "Corner of Roses” or "Ricon de Rosas." It was through this beautiful story that Gloria’s husband, Jaime Farell, learned of the home and purchased it for Gloria. They nurtured their passion for the arts within its walls, allowing creativity to flourish and providing the perfect backdrop for Gloria's exceptional choreography.

Unfortunately, the house was not insured and we face an uphill battle of repairing it from the fire. I am launching this go fund me campaign to help us with the costs of both repairing the home and also digitizing the video recordings of Gloria's ballets so they are never again at risk.Would you help us with this effort? Even a small donation will make a huge difference to us. Forward this letter on to your friends who might want to become part of this cause.

Once the repairs are completed, we will re-inaugurate Gloria's home with a beautiful party for all of those who helped us bring her home and her work back from the ashes.

Thank you for joining me on this path of restoration and for helping to shine a light of hope on the "Corner of Roses," where the magic of Gloria Contreras' artistry still blossoms.

With my deepest gratitude and appreciation,

Gregorio Luke