Ballet Folklorico students from different schools are teaming up to showcase Mexican and Latino culture through traditional music and dance performances on Nov. 15 and 16.
Approximately 100 performers from Ernest Righetti, Santa Maria, and Pioneer Valley high schools and Allan Hancock College are coming together in colorful costumes to put on a “Celebration of Mexican Culture.” Performances on both nights are at 7 p.m. in the Ethel Pope Auditorium, 901 S. Broadway St., in Santa Maria.
“Our students will use music and dance to engage the Santa Maria community in Latino heritage and culture,” Ricardo Gabaldon, Ernest Righetti Marimba Band and Ballet Folklorico director, said in a press release.
Dance selections from the Mexican states of Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Vera Cruz, and Jalisco will be showcased. In addition, the Righetti Marimba Band will join dancers in re-creating the 1940s Pachuco Swing with its rendition of “Zoot Suit.”
Students have been practicing for the last several months.
“This is a great opportunity to share the richness and beauty of my culture with other students and their families,” Fabiola Pérez, a Righetti High senior and dancer, said in the release.
Tickets can be purchased at all three high schools. They are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
This article appears in Nov 14-21, 2013.