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FESTIVAL DANCERSRAICES GRUPO FOLKLORICONATIONAL/ETHNIC IDENTITY: Mexican The abundant state, Jalisco, on the west coast of Mexico is not only the home of Mexico's national dance, the Jarabe Tapatio-Mexican Hat Dance, but it also birthed the robust mariachi music known the globe over. Mariachi is also a type of musical ensemble consisting of violins, trumpets, guitars and acoustic bass, and can include as many as 20 members. The typical tunes, or sones, played by mariachi are derivatives of folk music from Spain, Mexico and Africa. In the 19th century, mariachis were itinerant laborers that wandered from town to town. Through their songs, they carried news of the Revolution and the lives of the commoners. Mariachi music is not just music to be played and sung. From the very start it was music to be danced to. Raices Grupo Folklorico presents Viva Jalisco, celebrating the rich traditions of the region through dance, music and the art of lasso. Powerful zapateado (footwork) of the male dancers is juxtaposed with the mesmerizing faldeo (skirtwork) of their female counterparts. Roxana and Jose Borrego founded Raices in Sacramento in 1996 and
it became the resident folklorico dance company of California State
University at Sacramento. Recently the company has created a new
home at the Sacramento Cultural Arts Center and was rated by the
Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission as one of the top 12 arts
organizations in the capital city. 2005 PERFORMANCE
Often referred to as the heart of Mexico, Jalisco has earned a reputation for its rich art forms and vivacious lifestyle. Viva Jalisco is a slice of the life often enjoyed in the land center of Mexico. The pinata colors of the Tapatia dresses symbolize the many colors of Mexico, reliably found at the mercado artesania, in local churches, and painted on the cement walls of homes across the land. At the Plaza del Mariachi, you can enjoy the sones Jalisciences played by countless strolling Mariachis adorned in their finest sombreros and trajes de charro. On a Sunday evening, as the sun sets behind the heavenly crosses of
the cathedral, the laughter accompanies the song and many times you
will see a local stand and passionately sing the songs his grandfather
taught him in his youth. Viva Jalisco embodies the ranch lifestyle
portrayed in El Gavilan, a dance which imitates the courtship of a
sparrow hawk, and El Son De La Negra, a legendary song originally written
about a countryman and his infatuation with the railways. The Floreo
de Reata, or ropework, is the trademark of the Mexican horseman. The
lariat whirls in transformation as it dances in mid-air, coming to
life at the command of the charro. 2004 PERFORMANCETITLE OF PIECE: La Difficultosa, La
Picona, Luz Y Sombra, La Palangana The swift kicking, earth stomping polkas performed by Raices Grupo Folklorico in the 2004 Festival were born in the 16th century parlors of Europe. Company director, Jose Borrego, explains that the polkas were brought to Mexico by German and Czechoslovakian immigrants. Polkas, along with other European and English social dances became embraced by the Mexican elite in the 1800's who performed them at their high social functions. Once the commoners got hold of these dances they took on a distinctly more Mexican style and flavor. For example, in the polka, the kicks became higher, zapateado, or "footwork," was incorporated, and they generally became much more rowdy and rambunctious. In the late 19th century, mocking the elite, the lower class gave the polka and it's accompanying musical narration (corridos), a comical yet political twist. During the time of the Mexican revolution the polka and corrido became the way news was passed onto the commoner, many of whom were illiterate. Reference was made to the times in these songs and dances, and many were given the names of legendary female soldiers. Sometimes referred to as "Border music and dance," the polkas are typically accompanied by a conjunto norteño, which is an ensemble consisting of snare drum, horns, clarinet and sometimes accordion, sax and bass guitar. This type of instrumentation came from German settlers in Texas and became absorbed by the Mexican locals at the border. The women's costume are representative of the dress of 19th century frontier settlers, while the men's costumes are a modern rendition of the traje norteño (northern dress). These clothes conjure up images of the Mexican cowboy and the Wild West. Today polkas are one of many popular social dances enjoyed at parties and outdoor fairs. The one presented by Raices is a stylized version developed by Armando Correa of Chihuahua, Mexico. |
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TITLE OF PIECE: VIVA JALISCO!