Folk dances celebrate the history and traditions of a particular ethnic or national group. The famous Ballet Folklorico of Mexico is a highly trained company of professional dancers who perform colorful folk dances that reflect the Indian and Spanish roots of Mexican culture.
History
Baile folklórico, literally "folkloric dance" in Spanish, is a collective term for traditional Latin American
dances that emphasize local folk culture with ballet characteristics -
pointed toes, exaggerated movements, highly choreographed arrangements. Each region in Mexico, the Southwestern United States and Central American
countries is known for a handful of locally characteristic dances. The
costumes and the music attempt to reflect the living cultures of their
regions. Given the synthesis of cultures in each region, elements from all cultures are combined to produce a language of movement that inspires and represents the regional,national and personal notions of beauty and entertainment.
Folklorico at Nuevo Leon Mexico/characteristics
In the folklorico costume for Nuevo Leon, men wear the leather fringed vests or coats, boots, bandanas and cowboy hats. The women wear clothes straight out of "The Sound of Music". Their hair is braided with ribbons.The clothing that they use are different from other states, and the major characteristic is in the skirt and the coats of the males. The style of dance: polkas, waltzes and chotize, or "schottische". The tuba sound in Mexican/Tejano music was improvised by base guitars and the accordion was introduced. The accordion in Tejano conjunto music was mostly used by the common labor working people; not to be confused with Tejano orchestra music which was influenced by mariachis and the big band sounds of the 40s considered to be more urbanized. Much of the original Tejano music was based on ballads or corridos from Mexican revolutions; another oral history form, such as: Adelita, Tiempos Amargos, El Cuartelozo.
Vocabulary
Ballet Folklorico- Used to signify groups that dance the folk dances of Mexico, as opposed to groups that dance classicalballet, a French invention Plano- A step, where the whole foot is suspended in the air and then hits the ground flat. Gatillo- A step wherein the front part of the foot remains on the ground, only the heel lifts and then strikes the ground. Sencillo- Where the foot hits the ground once. Doble- Where the foot hits the ground twice.Huehuetl- The big drum used by the Aztecs to give them rhythm.
Music
Guadalajara- This is a dance that honors our ancestors, the Aztecs. It also contains various tap combinations, which are calledZap Ateados.TonancinThe entire dance is performed in a circular configuration to show reverence to the mother of all peoples, mother earth.Dancers also demonstrate reverence to the heavens and to the land when they raise and lower their outstretched armsin unison. La Raspa- The purpose of this dance is to encourage children to carry on the dances and traditions of Mexico and other cultures.It involves audience participation and teaches children and adults alike some basic movements and steps of the wellknown Mexican dance. Son de la Negra and Jarabe Tapatio- These flirtatious dances from Jalisco highlight the courtship of this region of Mexico. The men’s costumes show influencesfrom Spain and China.Son de la Negra is a love song that the men of Jalisco dedicate in admiration to the dark, exotic beauty of the women ofthis region. Jarabe Tapatio, commonly known as the Mexican Hat Dance, is the fast-paced, happy love song that is considered thenational folk dance of Mexico.
Important people
Mexico’s best known folk dance troupe is the Ballet Folklórico de México, which was founded by dancer Amalia Hernández in 1952.since then Amalia Hernández has become a cultural ambassador for Mexico through her work with the dance troupe until her death in 2000 at the age of 84.
Video
Sources
"Ballet Folklorico of Mexico." Online Picture. World Book Advanced. World Book, 2015. Web. 9 Jan. 2015. McFeaters, Bea. "Traditions of Mexico - Ballet Folklorico." Traditions of Mexico - Ballet Folklorico. Ballet Folklorico, n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2015. Works Cited "Ballet Folklórico De México." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2013): 1. Literary Reference Center. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.