Folklorico club brings color, passion

Aficionados of Mexican culture have for years offered “Vivas!”for Southwestern’s brilliant Mariachi Garibaldi, but have bemoaned the absence of a campus ballet folklorico. The wait is over.

Folklor Jaguar is stomping its way to los corazones of the campus community with its colorful and passionate performances of Madre Mexico’s national dance form. Members of the ballet folklorico club perform traditional forms found throughout diverse Mexico. Each regional dance tells its own, characterized by distinctive styles and costumes. Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoácan, Veracruz and Chiapas are all represented by Folklor Jaguar.

Club president Vivian Mendoza describes Sinaloan music as vivid, bright, exciting, sexy and flirty. Sinaloa dances have sets of partners, but dancers are not together for the whole performance. It usually depicts a suitor wooing a woman. She exaggeratingly swings her skirt left to right along with her head, sneaking a peek of her suitor while he follows her closely, impressing her with his quick and tempting movements.

Head-dipping is also a famous trait of Sinaloan dance, said Mendoza. While supported by her partner, a woman bends backward with her head almost touching the floor.

Sinaloa dancers chase women throughout the dance, but the opposite applies in Chihuahua.

“Chihuahua’s exclusively known for partnerwork,” said dancer Erik Berumen.

“Chihuahua is to folklorico what salsa is to Latin dance. It is completely based off partnerwork. The dance is only as good as the connection the two dancers have on stage.”

All throughout a Chihuahuan dance, a couple’s hands are intertwined, supporting each other through the twirling, bending and stomping of the feet. Chihuahua ballet, like other regions, features unique costumes, props, hair and make up styles. Eye make up for women is a key signature.

Jalisco style is one of the most recognizable, displayed through a black dress with multi-colored ruffles horizontally lined up by the skirt and sleeves. Vibrant green, orange, pink, blue and gold surround the eyes.

Members said dancing ballet folklorico makes them feel more connected with their Mexican ancestry.

“Many of the second generation takes its culture for granted,” said the club’s ICC representative Vanessa Garcia. “And so much history and tradition is lost and dancing and listening to traditional music makes me able to communicate better with my parents and grandparents who lived in Mexico.”

Diversity flourishes in Folklor Jaguar and is not exclusive to Mexicans, Latinos or even dancers.

Krystell Andrade said prior to joining the club she lacked rhythm.

“I had no experience whatsoever,” she confessed. “ I was just like I wanna join.”

Vice President Miriam Hernandez said the most important thing to bring to the club is an open mind, a positive attitude and a willingness to work with others.

“If you just wanna join and learn, you can just come,” said costume director Thomas Gonzalez. “If you wanna start performing with everybody you gotta be dedicated. What we actually learn a lot is how to not mix business with pleasure.”

Ballet folklorico combines the great Mexican arts of music, dance and fashion, and Folklor Jaguar brings them all together in a borderlands context that celebrates the convergence of two great cultures. More important to the dedicated dancers, it’s just plain fun.