Welcome to Mango Street. It’s not a fancy place. It’s a neighborhood like many you’ve seen: noisy kids playing on cracked sidewalks, dreams whispered on front porches, and families that are just getting by. Aquí vive Esperanza—a young Latina girl growing up caught between two worlds, dos culturas, two languages.
Ballet 5:8’s The House on Mango Street brings Sandra Cisneros’s beloved novel to life through dance.
Esperanza Cordero is trying to figure out quién es—who she is, who she wants to become, and how she’ll get there. She dreams of a house she can be proud of, lejos de aquí, far from Mango Street. But what does it really mean to belong? ¿Dónde está mi hogar?
Choreographed by Julianna Rubio Slager, Ballet 5:8’s Co-Founder and Artistic Director, this original ballet blends classical ballet, contemporary movement, and música to explore themes of identity, home, and comunidad.
“But this isn’t it. The house on Mango Street isn’t it.” —Sandra Cisneros
Through Esperanza’s voice, we find freedom—even in the smallest house on the humblest street.
This project is part of the NEA Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
Supported by the NEA, this community initiative uses literature, dance, and dialogue to spark conversations around cultural identity, belonging, and the shared human desire to be seen and heard. Through performances, workshops, and public events, The House on Mango Street becomes a bridge between generations, languages, and neighborhoods.
¡Bienvenidos a Mango Street!
Want to bring a performance, workshop, or book dialogue to your comunidad? Contact us below.
House on Mango Street Kick-Off | September 13th
Lozano Library, Pilsen | 2-4PM
Free Community Event
Join us at the Lozano Branch of the Chicago Public Library for a vibrant, family-friendly celebration of Sandra Cisneros’s beloved novel, The House on Mango Street.
Acompáñanos en la Biblioteca Lozano de la Biblioteca Pública de Chicago para una celebración familiar y vibrante de la querida novela de Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street.
Presented by Ballet 5:8 as part of the NEA Big Read, this free event brings Esperanza Cordero’s world to life through live ballet excerpts, original music, and interactive community activities.
Presentado por Ballet 5:8 como parte del NEA Big Read, este evento gratuito da vida al mundo de Esperanza Cordero con fragmentos de ballet en vivo, música original y actividades comunitarias interactivas.
Enjoy free copies of the book (while supplies last), lively discussion, and a warm atmosphere complete with conchas and coffee.
Disfruta de copias gratuitas del libro (hasta agotar existencias), conversaciones animadas y un ambiente acogedor con conchas y café.
Come celebrate literature, dance, and the stories that shape our neighborhoods. We can’t wait to see you there!
Ven a celebrar la literatura, la danza y las historias que dan forma a nuestros vecindarios. ¡Esperamos verte allí!
Bring The House on Mango Street to Your School or Community
Lleve La Casa en Mango Street a su escuela o comunidad
Adapted from Sandra Cisneros’ groundbreaking novel, The House on Mango Street Ballet is a powerful, bilingual experience that brings literature to life through movement. This new work follows Esperanza, a young Latina navigating identity, language, culture, and belonging.
Performed by Ballet 5:8’s all-female Second Company, the ballet invites students into Esperanza’s world—opening conversations about self-expression, community, and generational tension.
Adaptada de la reconocida novela de Sandra Cisneros, esta nueva obra narra la historia de Esperanza, una joven latina que enfrenta preguntas sobre identidad, lengua, cultura y pertenencia.
El ballet es interpretado por la Segunda Compañía de Ballet 5:8, compuesta exclusivamente por mujeres, y abre espacio para conversaciones auténticas sobre la expresión personal, la comunidad y las tensiones entre generaciones.
What We Offer / Lo que ofrecemos
In-school performances available beginning January 2026
Funciones escolares disponibles a partir de enero de 2026Logan Center school matinees May 8th and 9th, 2026 at the Logan Center (Chicago)
Funciones escolares en el Logan Center durante mayo de 2026Transportation stipends available for qualifying schools
Estipendios para transporte disponibles para escuelas que califiquenBilingual study guides and discussion materials
Guías de estudio y materiales en inglés y españolPre- and post-performance classroom prompts
Actividades de reflexión antes y después de la funciónOptional artist Q&A and community dialogue
Opcional: sesión de preguntas con las artistas y diálogo comunitario
Ready to connect? ¿Quiere más información?
Let’s build something beautiful together.
Construyamos algo hermoso en comunidad.
Email us here. Escríbenos aquí.
Meet the Characters
Esperanza: Young, observant, full of dreams. She wants more from life than her small home on Mango Street.
Narrator (Shadow Esperanza): Esperanza’s inner voice, showing her hidden thoughts and feelings through movement.
Nenny: Esperanza’s little sister. Innocent, playful, and carefree.
Mama: Kind, supportive, but limited by circumstances beyond her control.
Papa: A quiet, steady presence, providing for his family, but distant emotionally.
Neighborhood Girls:
Lucy: Esperanza’s down-to-earth friend, practical and dependable.
Rachel: Lucy’s spirited younger sister, bold and playful.
Marin: Older, worldly, caught in dreams of escaping through romance.
Sally: Beautiful, troubled, seeking safety from a harsh home life.
Alicia: Smart, ambitious college student quietly resisting cultural pressures.
Cathy (Queen of Cats): Snobby neighbor whose friendship quickly fades.
Aunt Lupe: Bedridden aunt who inspires Esperanza to write, seeing potential others miss.
Alicia’s Father: Controlling, dismissive father who doesn't see Alicia's worth.
Sally’s Father: Shadowy, abusive presence in Sally’s life.
Neighborhood Boys:
Tito: Teasing boy who doesn’t understand boundaries.
Meme Ortiz: Chaotic and reckless, embodying youthful wildness.
Darius: Boy whose surprising insights hint at deeper layers.
Red Clown Boys: Threatening, faceless figures who symbolize danger.
Marin’s Fantasy Man: Idealized figure Marin waits for but never finds.
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![Illustration of five men dressed in colorful outfits, each labeled with different fashion styles. From left to right: a man in an orange t-shirt and blue pants labeled "Meme Optic," a man in a white tank top and red pants labeled "Red down Sally's Fader," a man in a blue shirt and beige pants labeled "Drinks," a man in a teal t-shirt and blue pants labeled "Tito," and a man in a red shirt and beige pants labeled "Fantasy man Alisa's Deal." Each figure has a distinct style and pose.]()
Neighborhood Boys
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![Watercolor illustration of six women standing together, with signatures of their names below. The women are dressed in casual, colorful clothing.]()
Esperanza & Family
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![A drawing of six women standing together, each with distinct outfits and hairstyles, with their names handwritten below: Lucy, Rachael, Mairi, Sally, Alise, and Colby, against a white background with a color palette at the top.]()
Esperanza's Friends
“Ballet, as with many of the ‘fine arts,’ is perceived as art for the aristocracy. The art form is commonly expensive, exclusive, and occasionally elitist, but Ballet 5:8 subverts these common values to provide accessible, high-quality dance training to students of all ages, levels of ability, and ethnic backgrounds. Their school commits to fostering a nurturing environment where instructors care for the students’ spirits and bodies. This is Ballet reimagined. This is a studio telling a different story.”
— ”Making Ballet Accessible”, podcast with Emanuel Padilla