Cultural Connection through Dancing at Pacific

“Dancers carefully execute complicated footwork while maneuvering intricate waves through the gathered ruffles of their skirts.” -Lorena Becerra

www.bilingualweekly.com | By Mayra Barrios

STOCKTON, CA – (bw) Lorena Becerra smiles softly as she twirls her multicolored ruffled skirt along the music.

Ballet folkloriaco a broadly used term to describe all forms of Mexican folk dancing combines elements of the Mexican history, folklore and culture with rhythm and body movement.

Mexican folk dancing has been around for hundreds of years,” said Becerra a dancer with more than 20 years of experience is part of Los Danzantes de Pacific and is also a Spanish Professor at the University of The Pacific.

“Dancers carefully execute complicated footwork while maneuvering intricate waves through the gathered ruffles of their skirts.”

This artistic form of communication often performed at art festivals and civic events is characterized by its elaborate and vibrant attire.

  “When my mother made the dresses for the region of Nayarit, it took her over twenty hours of sewing to complete one entire skirt, which included a gathered ruffle measuring 36 yards,” said Becerra , regarding the outfits  of  her last performance at the event Voices of our Ancestors at University of the Pacific.

For Becerra Folklorico provides an opportunity to share, celebrate and learn about the culture, especially if one is unfamiliar with the history and origins of folklorico.
But not only are the dancers feel the passion for the culture of the Mexican Folkor.
Violeta Meza, a Stockton resident, attended Becerra`s performance at UOP, and sitting in the first row she whistled and sang along the popular mariachi songs while she explained to her four year old grandson, Gabriel Valdovinos, each dance and song.

Meza is from Jalisco, Mexico a state that she describes as the, “land of the Mariachi and the Jarabe Tapatio (The Mexican Hat Dance).”

Meza explains that kids in Mexico are taught to dance ballet folklorico and then perform at different festivals throughout the school year.

“Schools foster a taste for Mexican music and Mexican folk dancing,” said Meza.
As the attire, the dance topics also vary from region to region.
Becerra explains that the state of Jalisco is well known for its mariachis, colorful dresses with bright ribbons, sombreros, and charro outfits.

While the state of Veracruz is  well known for its famous sones jarochos that are characterized by very complex footwork and accompanied by string instruments from verse to verse.

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