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| mexican culture | |
| baile folklórico | |
| latin american folk dances | |
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Baile folklórico means folk dance, in a word-for-word translation. Although the name in translation initially calls to mind a single uniform dance tradition, traditional bailes vary dramatically from region to region. Unlike the dance traditions that were developed with the influence of German and Spanish musical and dance influence (Loeffler 1999), bailes folklóricos emphasize local folk culture. Each region in Mexico, the southwest United States and other Central American countries is known for a handful of locally characteristic dances. The province of Jalisco, for example, is especially known for its jarabe, son and el baile de los sonajeros. The province of Guerrero is known for its sintesis and tixtla. Michoacán is known for its huetamo and “Historia del Traje de la Mujer Michoacana,” a dance which depicts a local folktale (Alegria). Though the dances differ from region to region, the basic steps and style of dance are similar. Traditional bailes are characterized by a basic set of steps called zapateadas which involve percussive heel-stomping. The music, mariachi, which accompanies the dances also varies from region to region and emphasizes local tradition. Music from the Federal District, Chihuahua and Chiapas reflect distinct musical traditions. Predictably, music of the Federal District is characterized by strong Spanish influence and prominently features the accordion in instrumentation. Mariachi from Chiapas is noted for an emphasis on the local instrument, the marimba. Mariachi lyrics frequently depict adventures of local folk heroes, myths, cultural traditions pre- and post-Conquest, and other local ritual themes. Thus, even the accompanying lyrics to mariachi uniquely characterize their origin. Alegria.org, a Mexican folklore organization and baile folklórico dance troupe maintains a webpage which documents the regional variation in costumes. Costumes in the southwest United States are characterized by denim and western shirts while costumes of the Federal District of Mexico reflect a stronger traditional Spanish influence and those of the Yucatan reflect indigenous traditions. In the folk dances of Northern Mexico, men generally wear black trousers, accented with a red tie and belt and a black wide-brimmed hat. Women wear brightly colored ruffled skirts trimmed with ribbons whose colors are local signifiers, shoes with heavy clog-like heels and ornate hair pieces (Katsumori ). In the past decade, baile folklórico has exploded in popularity particularly in the United States, El Salvador and Mexico. Young students and community members have formed a number of baile folklórico organizations dedicated to performing, preserving and teaching about traditional dance and culture. Groups of young students in elementary schools, particularly in the southwest United States have formed baile folklórico groups to build community pride and inclusiveness for students new to the country. Prior to the explosion in popularity among student and community groups, bailes folklóricos were (and currently are) performed as a part of large parties or community events. The mariachi musicians generally stand in a line at the back of the performance space and perform without written musical notation, while the dancers perform in couples in front of the mariachis. The most important characteristics of baile folklórico are the regional expressiveness of the dance form, the regional variation in dance, costume and instrumentation and the growing popularity of the dance form today. Heather Ashley Vrana WORKS CITED
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