Mexican Folklorico Dance is an art form that is passed down from parent to child and teacher to student. Yet, oftentimes we fail to really dig deep and closely look at what our dance movements tell us about ourselves as a people. We need to ask ourselves the following question. What are we trying to say when we dance?
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Folklorico Dance as an Invented Tradition
Many times we believe that the Mexican folklorico dances that we perform have a long, long history. In reality, many times the costumes, music, and dance steps are recent creations but are thought of as ancient. Eric Hobsbawn in his classic text “Inventing Traditions” (1983) coins this term to refer to “traditions actually invented, constructed and formally instituted and those emerging in a less easily traceable manner within a brief and date-able period-a matter of a few years perhaps- and establishing themselves with great rapidity (1).” He notes that these invented traditions are practices with a given set of rules, rituals, that are repeated and that are thought to have a long history but in actuality are very recent (1). Many of our Mexican Folklorico costumes, music, and dances fall under this definition of invented traditions. I argue that many folklorico dances are thought to be old traditions but are were invented in the 20th century for performances. Let use a few examples of Mexican Folklorico costumes, music, and dances so we can think about this a bit further.
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Folklorico Dance as Inspiration
Way back when, as a young dancer I mistakenly thought that all the folklorico dances that I learned came from communities of people. It was until I entered graduate school that I realized that many of these dance were created specifically for the stage by Mexican choreographers. Many times the Mexican government sought ways to distinctly represent every state of Mexico through music and dance.
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Teaching Folklorico Dance as a Living Practice
Read More“Empecé a enseñar el jarabe tapatío a los extranjeros en 1932 y nunca lo he enseñado dos veces exactamente igual. Yo enseño parte del ‘Proceso Folclórico’ viviente, que como una mariposa, se transforma para hacerse más hermosa.”[I began teaching the Jarabe Tapatío to foreigners in 1932 and I have never taught it the same way twice. My teachings reflect the living ‘folkloric process’, in which like a butterfly it is transformed to make it even more beautiful.] Alura Flores de Angeles “Godmother of Mexican Dance”
Bodily Memories
Bodily memories, teachings, feelings, movements passed on from one person to another. I have ingrained in my dancing body memories of my fabulous aunt, Sanjuanita Martinez-Hunter Ph.D., who was also my Dance Teacher. Yes, I inherited her knick-knacks and collectibles but these are all just trivial pieces of material items in comparison to what I have truly inherited. I inherited her bodily knowledge. She was a dynamic personality who commanded attention upon entering every room. She connected on a personal level with every single student she taught. Most importantly, she imparted her Dance wisdom as taught from her own dance teachers to her students as a faculty at the University of Texas at Austin (UT).
Read MoreI am Writing Again!
I have noticed that I have not written in this blog since 2015. Well, I am happy to say that I am back! I will be writing a monthly article beginning this month of July 2017. These articles will focus on my thoughts, inspirations, and reflections surrounding Mexican folkloric dance. Please read and give me constructive feedback. Thanks so much!
Me in 2017 at my desk
Creation, Growth, and Inspiration: The Beginnings of the Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folklóricos (1974-1976)
This article was written specifically for the Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folkloricos in 2016. This blog post includes an excerpt. To read the article in its entirety please click on the link below
Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folklóricos
As I write this account, I note that it has been forty-one years since the Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folklóricos or ANGF first began as a non-profit organization. The purpose of ANGF is “to serve as a voice for the promotion and preservation of Mexican folklore traditions…” This is accomplished by organizing an annual conference whereby participants meet to learn regional dances, music, and traditions of Mexico and Latin America countries by renown teachers. Read More
Alura Flores de Angeles “Godmother of Mexican Folk Dance” (1905-2000)
Alura Flores de Angeles was a woman who was ahead of her times. She was born in 1905 the daughter of an indigenous man from Xochimilco and an American born Protestant missionary. At a time in Mexico when more than 50 percent of the population was illiterate, Flores de Angeles graduated from the National Preparatory School in San Ildelfonso in 1924. She was a star athlete who participated in the swim, volleyball, and basketball teams. She graduated from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) majoring in Physical Education. Flores de Angeles stated that as part of her Physical Education training she learned Mexican folkloric dances.
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Folkloric Dance as an Ever-Changing Tradition
I am amazed at how many Mexican folkloric dances were cataloged and recorded by teachers of the Secretaria de Educacion Publica by 1934. In his writings, Carlos Merida, Director of Mexico’s School of Dance during the early 1930s, listed so many dances that are now well beloved. For example, a few of the dances that he listed included the danza de los viejitos, danza de los negritos, sones huastecos, sones costenos, jarabe tapatio, etc. Then, in the 1970s there was another government led movement by Mexican President Luis Echevarria (1970-1976) to collect and document the folkloric dances of Mexico. Many of these dances are performed in the repertoire of folkloric dance groups today. Of course, we also have the many dances that were specifically created for the stage such as the dances of Sinaloa, Nayarit Costa, Flor de Piňa from Oaxaca and the list continues. I argue that all of these dances have evolved and changed with time. No matter how hard we try to “preserve” dances so that they remain the same, dance and music traditions do not stay static but are fluid. As folkloristas we are involved in this movement to continue dance traditions that have been passed on from one generation to another.
These photos taken almost one hundred years apart attest to the ever-changing dynamic of the folkloric dance movement as it travels throughout the world.
Copyright, 1/28/2015, Mendoza-Garcia
Gabriela Mendoza-García Ph.D. is an Artist and Scholar. She has her own dance school and company called the Gabriela Mendoza-García Ballet Folklórico in Laredo, Texas. Dr. Mendoza-Garcia founded this group in 2013 and teaches children and adults of all ages. Her company consists of seasoned folklórico dancers with years of experience performing this art form. She teaches traditional Mexican folklórico dance pieces, as well as, works that are inspired by her scholarly research. Her scholarship includes: editing the book Dancing throughout Mexican History (1325-1910), History & Folklore booklet with an accompanying documentary sponsored by the Webb County Heritage Foundation, The Jarabe Tapatío: Imagining Race, Nation, Class and Gender in 1920s Mexico published by Oxford University Press, an on-line blog, writings for Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folklóricos, and others.
Is Folklorico Political?
The Gabriela Mendoza-Garcia Ballet Folklorico as we pay homage to women of 1920s Mexico City who performed the role of men.
Gabriela Mendoza-Garcia Ballet Folklorico 