Event: Fiestas Patrias celebration, Lubbock, TX, Sept. 15, 16, &17
This event celebrates the day that began the movement for Mexican Independence. The 16th of Sept., 1810, was the day that Fr. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gave the called upon the indigenous peoples of Mexico to rise up against Spanish oppression. This "
Grito", or yell, is delivered every year on the 16th of Sept in honor of the man & the movement. Independence was not gained until 1821, 11 years later. Festival around the U.S. & Mexico often feature music, dance, & food, along w/a re-enactment of the momentous
grito, usually performed by a Catholic priest.
One type of dance group usually associated w/the Mex. Indep. Day is the Ballet Folklorico troupe. Ballet Folklorico is actually many different styles of dance from around Mexico, all done in appropriate dress & step to celebrate the beauty of the various states that make up the nation. Each dress has a specific meaning, each color an association back to the state it represents, & each step is meant to recall the people & culture it comes from. On Saturday (16th), 2 Ballet Folklorico groups
performed, here are my notes:
Performer 1: Paloma Libre Dance Group
-based in Lorenzo, TX (30 mi east of Lubbock)
-rehearsals held 3-4 & 6-7 Wednesdays, & 6-8 Thursdays
-available for all events, non-profit & professional
Performers included
- one small child (f) alone
- 4-5 children (1m & 4f) (celebratory dance?)
- 2 young adults (m & f) (courting dance?)
- 9 participants (2m & 7f all ages) (celebratory dance?)
- 4 children (f) (? dance)
- 2 males (child & young adult) (machete dance – bragging dance?)
- 3 (f) adults (flirting dance?)
- 3 (f) & 1 (m) adults (flirting dance?)
Costume description:
- Young females wore one-piece costumes of solid colors (different for each child) w/colored bands at neck & sleeves (also different for each dress).
- Dress colors included: red, blue, green, orange, yellow, & pink
- Females wore tall, white, lace-up boots (mid-calf). These boots had heavy heels.
- Females also wore colorful, flowered head wear
- Males wore simple, white shirts, black pants w/silver piping down seams, black boots w/heavy heels, black, wide-brimmed charro hats, & red sashes & neckties.
- For the final 2 dances, females wore jean skirts w/fringe around hem (to draw attention to leg mvmt?), white blouses, cowboy hats, & red sashes around waist & neck. White boots remained the same.
Dance descriptions:
- On the whole, dances prominently featured rhythmic stomping of the heels on the floor for both males & females.
- Females grabbed the hems of their dresses (which were designed specifically for this dance?) & extended the skirt portion while spinning, stomping, and jumping.
- Males also stomped the heels of their boots, but also featured a step that seems to be a kick/slide of the foot while moving the body in the opposite direction of the kick/slide.
- Very little hand movement for males, hands kept behind back or at sides throughout
- Males danced w/2 blunted machetes each, rhythmically hitting them together or against the other dancer’s.
- Males also featured a steps that required the leg to be extended in front while simultaneously hitting the knives together below the knee, or squatting while hitting the knives together in front then jumping up-right while hitting the knives together behind their backs.
- Courting dance featured the 2 young adults spinning around posed as if in a kiss.
- For the final 2 dances, females swung red sashes above heads. Steps featured swaying hips, turns, stomping feet, & w/male: turns, dips, & “leading” the man by his sash.
Music description:
- On the whole, the music was festive, up-tempo, featured dance rhythms (both ¾ & 4/4), and featured the following instruments:
o Guitar (acoustic)
o Bass guitar (bajo sexto or guitarron)
o Accordion
o Violin(s)
- the melodies, phrasing, and chord progressions can be compared to the western swing genre of Texas
- melodies are usually carried by the violin(s), or the accordion
- bass moves in I-V root movement w/walking bass fills to connect chords.
- Guitar plays chords (usually on the “off” beats)
Performer 2: Ballet Folklorico Fiesta del Sol
Director: Delia Ochoa
Email: available on request
- based in
Lubbock, TX - rehearsals held 6:30-7:30 (children) & 7:30-9pm (adults) @ Hardwick Elem.
Performers included:
- 5 young adults (f)
- 5 adolescent children (f)
- 1 young adult (f)
- 4 adolescent children (f)
- 3 young adults (f) + 1 adult (f)
- 14 dancers (m & f) of all ages
- 8 (f) adolescent children
- 6 (f) & 1 (m) young adults
Costume descriptions:
- first group dances “Aztec” style in “Aztec” dress:
o Blue dresses w/high cuts (for legs) in front & back.
o Red, black, gold, & blue chest pieces & headwear that feature snakes (chest) & feathers (red/headwear). Meaning?
o Conch shell anklets (for percussive effect)
o Gold (painted) maracas (right hand, for percussive effect)
o Blue & red flowers (left hand, for decoration) what is the meaning of this?
o Blue/brown bracelets
o Leather “pads” on soles of feet (for protection while dancing/stepping).
- second group dances “Jalisco” style in Jalisco dress:
o Black, 2-piece dresses that each feature different colored hem, sleeve, & belt colors
o Each female also wore different colored flowers in their hair.
o Different colored hoop earrings
o Leather “pads” on soles of feet
- third performer (single female) dances another “Jalisco” style dance
o 1-piece pink dress w/more elaborate, colored bands along hem, neckline, & waist
o More elaborate headwear, matching dress
o Gold earrings
o White, heeled, saddle shoes
o Dress appears to be made w/an extension sewed on the back along the waist line that can be used as a decorative accessory while dancing.
- 4th group dances another “Jalisco” style dance
o 1-piece, colored dress (different for each dancer) in light green, dark green, pink, & yellow
o Colored bands along hem, skirt, waist, & neckline
o Colored headwear
o White, lace-up, heeled boots
o Gold earrings
- 5th group dances another “Jalisco” style dance
o 1-piece, different colored dress for each dancer w/extension (as 3rd performer): black, blue, pink, green
o Colored bands (different for each dancer) along hem, waist, neckline & sleeves
o Colored headwear
o Gold earrings
o White, heeled, saddle shoes
- 6th group (“Jalisco-style), adds male dancer: the “Mexican Hat Dance”
o Costume(s) for female dancers same as performers 3, 4, & 5
o Male dressed in “Charro”, or gentleman rancher clothing: black jacket, black pants, black hat, conches up legs, white shirt, grey tie, silver buttons on jacket. Black belt w/silver piping & large, silver buckle. Black heeled riding boots.
- 7th group in “Baja, Calif” style: the “bottle” dance
o White blouse w/flower stitching around neckline
o Red skirt w/flower stitching half-way down
o White, lace-up, heeled boots
o White bow in hair
- 8th group in “Baja” style
o Females: white blouse, black vest, bolo tie, jean skirt, black hat & boots
o Male: white shirt, black vest, bolo tie, jeans, black hat & boots
Dance descriptions:
- dances featured rhythmic stomping of feet, many turns, dips, and waiving of hats & skirts (in general).
- Aztec-style:
o Stomping, turns, jumping, kicking, circling, & rhythmic effects added by maracas & anklets
- Jalisco-style:
o All performers featured rhythmic stomping, throwing skirts around, waiving hats, jumps, kicks, turns, and “promenade” steps.
o More combinations of heel/toe steps
o When male & female danced together, there was a definite sense of “courting” behavior (i.e. bowing, light touching, turns, “chivalrous” body language (M), & “amorous” body language (F).
- Baja-style: “cowboy” dances
o More combinations of heel/toe steps, as well as one step where foot circled the bottle, or was kicked in a circular pattern behind to the rear.
o This style is best describe as “show-off” dancing, very “macho” on the part of the male (impressive turns, kicks, foot work, etc), & very flirtatious on the part of the females (kicks, turns, sashaying, etc)
o Male breaks off from the females, (this is where the showing off begins), 1 female follows later, these 2 dance the same steps together later
o There is very little hand/arm movement in this dance: hands are kept at the waist (f), or w/thumbs hooked in pocket (m) (this may be to show off balance).
Music description:
- - On the whole, the music was festive, up-tempo, featured dance rhythms (both ¾ & 4/4), and featured the following instruments:
o Guitar (acoustic)
o Bass guitar (bajo sexto or guitarron)
o Accordion
o Violin(s)
- the melodies, phrasing, and chord progressions can be compared to the western swing genre of Texas
- melodies are usually carried by the violin(s), or the accordion
- bass moves in I-V root movement w/walking bass fills to connect chords.
- Guitar plays chords (usually on the “off” beats)
- “Aztec” style deviates from above: ALL drums (until very end, where chanting begins)
- Vocals are present for some songs
