Skirts twirling like colorful pinwheels and feet shuffling to the rhythmic beat of traditional Mexican folk music will fill the stage during Allan Hancock College’s annual FOLKLORICO! performance. The event is a collaboration between dancers from the college’s dance department, the college’s youth division, and the folklorico groups from Santa Maria, Pioneer, and Righetti high schools.
In all, the production will feature more than 100 dancers performing traditional folk dances from 12 Mexican states. The performance will also include some flamenco and salsa pieces, a mariachi-style singer, and some contemporary folklorico.
“It’s a cultural extravaganza for the community,” said Dianne McMahon, director of Ballet Folklorico de Allan Hancock College and the school’s dance program coordinator.
McMahon is directing some choreography for Hancock, but the high schools will each present their own works. McMahon said the hardest part is trying to house 100 dancers—all with elaborate costume-change needs.
“We built two spaces in the dressing room for all the adult dancers to use to change, so getting all the dancers together Tuesday through Sunday is the hardest part,” McMahon said.
Maria Baros and Angel Hoyos team up as the new directors of El Ballet Folklorico de Santa Maria High School, taking over for Artexin Amezcua, who retired from the Santa Maria Bonita School District last year. Baros got involved in folklorico while attending Righetti High School and began teaching math and serving as the director of Santa Maria High School’s folklorico group in 2000.
Hoyos is artistic director for Santa Maria High’s folklorico, boasting more than 20 years of dance experience. For 14 of those years, Hoyos trained under Artexin Amezcua. Hoyos has danced with and directed local folklorico groups, including those for Arroyo Grande High School and Battles School. The two directors will be joined by the students from all three high schools participating in the event, along with the college’s dance students.
The collaborative event is in its 16th year, and McMahon said it’s a remarkable showcase coming together on one stage.
Among the featured performers this year is Chris Cortez, a native of Guadalupe, who began studying folklorico at Righetti High School in 2007. By 2009, he was focusing on the adult dance program at the college, performing in every main stage and folklorico production. His talent landed him a 2010 Santa Maria Arts Council Scholarship in dance and acceptance into an independent study program with the world-renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre of New York where he will begin this fall.
McMahon said one of her favorite parts of being involved in folklorico is watching students progress in their dancing abilities each year.
“It’s a joy to watch the children who, before you know it, will be here at Allan Hancock College. I also enjoy seeing the high school students perform and watching when they get here and seeing how they mature in their skill and take it to another level,” McMahon said.
Mostly, she likes to see the students interact with each other during the practices and performances. She said the experience is a bonding one for the students.
“I love seeing the students be so connected to each other because of their culture,” she said. “They’re extremely proud of the costumes and dances. It’s a cultural excitement for them.”
Arts Editor Shelly Cone is always ready to take it up another level. She can be contacted at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 3-10, 2012.