FRIDAY, FEB. 28 at 7 P.M.

3rd Annual Fiesta Folklórica

Van Duzer Theater

In 2023, the Cal Poly Humboldt Dance Program held its first ever “Fiesta Folklórica” at the Gist Hall Theatre at Cal Poly Humboldt. It was the first time the show now known as the “Fiesta Folklórica” brought Danza Azteca and Ballet Folklórico de Humboldt together to perform. That first year, and in 2024, the performance was so popular that for the 3rd annual “Fiesta Folklórica”, the performance will take place at the John Van Duzer Theatre. Directed by Linda Maxwell and Jacqueline Silva, “Fiesta Folklórica” is, according to Silva, “A celebration of Mexican culture and an opportunity to bring our community together. We have dances from 8 different states of Mexico being represented on one stage, along with special guest performances from the Eureka High School LatinX Club: Folklórico Dancers and Ballet Folklórico Infantil de Arcata.” The dancers of ‘Fiesta Folklórica’ invite you to join in this celebration. The performances are Friday, February 28th at 7:00pm, Saturday March 1st at 7:00pm, and Sunday March 2nd at 2:00pm. It is encouraged that you purchase tickets online at tickets.humboldt.edu/dance-music-and-theatre. Tickets are also available at the door. Tickets prices are $13 General, $8 for Children and Seniors, and free for Cal Poly Humboldt Students with ID.

The dance “Flor de Piña” is from the Mexican State of Oaxaca and represents the region of Papaloapan. There is a word in the Zapotec language, Guelaguetza, that means “offering”. The annual festivities in Oaxaca aim to show and ‘offer’ the products of each region in the state. Created in 1958, the “Flor de Piña” dance makes references to the Papaloapan Basin area, where pineapples commonly grow, the “offering” from the region. The dance was choreographed by Kelly Ramón and will be performed by dancers from Folklórico Infantil de Arcata and Eureka High School LatinX Club: Folklórico Dancers including Ella Ranario, 15, a student of Northern Union Humboldt Charter School and member of Folklórico Infantil de Arcata. Ranario speaks of participating in Fiesta Folklórica, “I think it is so important to understand that cultures should be more inviting instead of being so separated. Dancing Folklórico as someone who isn’t Mexican, and coming in having no experience, I was immediately welcomed into it. It kind of just brings you another perspective of something so beautiful. These moments I’ve had provided an opportunity to learn about different traditions and customs…a heartwarming experience.”

The state of Michoacán is well represented in the evening’s program. Los Viejitos, choreographed by Jeff O’Connor, a dance native to the Lake Patzcuaro in the Michoacán region, is very old and has been performed since before the conquest. The dancer carries a hewn wooden cane with the handle in the shape of a deer’s head resembling the staff of Tonacacihuatl—mother of the gods. The dance is evidently dedicated to Huehueteotl, the Old God or the God of Fire, who is represented in pre-Hispanic sculptures as a bent-backed smiling ancient carrying a huge brazier on his back. As Grandfather Fire and Grandfather Deer’s Tail, he is always recognizable by his inseparable deer‘s head cane. The dance will be performed by Eureka High School LatinX Club: Folklórico Dancers and students from St. Bernard’s Academy.

Also directed by Jeff O’Connor and performed by the Fiesta Folklórica Ensemble, the most representative dances of the Michoacán region are the Jarabillo de Novios, Jarabillo de tres, La Costilla, and Los Arrieros. These dances give us a nostalgic taste of the life and customs of another time and express the pride and vibrance of these indigenous peoples and their glorious past, having never been conquered during the period of colonization. The legend exists that the Tarascan’s traveled from the north and populated the central part of Mexico settling in Patzcuaro. The music used to accompany these dances of the river valley and lakebed is a bit happier and more complicated. The zapateados (footwork) that add accompaniment to the music are represented in all the dances. One of the dancers, 20 year old Yariana Esparza, a General Biology Major at Cal Poly Humboldt, expressed her feeling about participating in these dances, “Culturally, participating in Fiesta Folklórica allows me to participate in a traditional dance that my mother and grandma couldn’t do due to finances. Being able to participate in Fiesta Folklórica shows them that I am proud of my culture. People should come to see Fiesta Folklórica to see the beauty of Mexican culture.”

The state of Nuevo Leon is represented by a distinct form of music and dance that is very different from the rest of Mexico. The reason is primarily geographical, as the culture that did come to Northern Mexico sifted down from the United States. The European dances that came with settlers to the United States in 1873 were the same dances that took root in Northern Mexico: The Contradanza, the Chotis, Polkas and Mazurkas. The Eureka High School LatinX Club: Folklórico Dancers will perform “El Naranjo”, “El Cerro De La Silla”, and “La Cápsula”. Choreography is taught by Jeff O’Connor with assistance from Xennia Arid Avendaño, Sergio Garza-Valencia, and Alexis Quiros Arredondo. Assistant choreographer Arrendondo spoke of her time working with Eureka High Students, “I am grateful to have been allowed to work with Eureka High School group, seeing so much youth come together to display our culture and heritage warms my heart. I look forward to continuing work with Ballet Folklórico de Cal Poly Humboldt & the High School group. Viva la Raza!”

“La Bruja”, “El Canelo”, and “El Zapateado Veracruzano” are dances from the state of Veracruz. Choreographed by “Folklórica” director Jacqueline Silva, they will be performed by the Fiesta Folklórica Ensemble. The dances from Veracruz are a celebration of its life, history and diversity along with Spanish, African, and indigenous cultural influences. The dance “La Bruja” means “the Witch”, signifying the supernatural, is one of the most well-known mythical and ethereal dances of the region. “El Canelo” celebrates the courtship between couples dancing with each other by vigorously shaking their shoulders. “El Zapateado Veracruzano” is a dance celebrating the joy, rhythmic speed, and technical zapateados of Veracruz. Alexis Quiros Arredondo on their favorite dance of the evening “My favorite is Veracruz, the vestuario is so elaborate and makes me feel so beautiful. The music and dance is so magical and it always makes me feel like I’m floating when I hear the harp.”

The state of Zacatecas is a northern region of Mexico rich with dances influenced strongly by the Spanish. This region played a crucial role in the revolution. The region’s motto is “hard work to create posterity”. A relatively rich region, noted for its silver and gold mining, the dances showcase the strong use of zapateados. Traditional dresses include women with flowered skirts and matching colored blouses of a solid color, while the men typically wear solid pants with white shirts and scarfs around their waist. Director Linda Maxwell choreographed the dances “Mexicapan”, “Pulquette”, and “ Los Colorados.” The dance will be performed by the Fiesta Folklórica Ensemble . Dancer Chancellor Arendt, 22, a Marine Biology with a scientific SCUBA diving minor at Cal Poly Humboldt, spoke about their experience preparing for Fiesta Folklórica, “My favorite part about participating in Fiesta Folklórico is learning more about the culture, the new connections with people and coming closer as a family. Each night of rehearsal always brings smiles and laughs. It feels like we are always celebrating and coming together. I believe people should come and see Fiesta Folklórico because it is a vibrant celebration of culture, seeing how different regions have their dance and are connected to each-other, and tradition. There is history behind each style and regalia. Come join the community and celebrate together.”

The evening will also feature performances by the Fiesta Folklórica/Danza Azteca Ensemble. Danza Azteca is a cultural dance tradition practiced throughout the country of Mexico. Its origins date back thousands of years to ancient Mesoamerican ceremonies of Mexico and Central America. Elements of a Danza Azteca Ceremony invoke the sights and sounds of ancient Tenochtitlan, with colorful regalia and stirring music. While these dances are sacred, what is being shown is only a sampling of what is done in ceremony. Danza has always been a means of reminding the people of their history, of celebrating and fulfilling spiritual responsibilities—as well as playing an important role in the empire’s performing arts. The dance “Fuego” honors the element of fire and reminds us of our responsibility to use the gift correctly, as we are the only beings with that ability. “Antigua” is the reenactment of a warrior’s preparation for battle by asking that the powers of the forces of nature be with him: fire, rain, wind and earth. A recurring image in the dance is the hummingbird, the symbol of the warrior because of its ability to move at lightning speed. “Aguila Blanca” tells a portion of one of the creation stories where Eagle and Jaguar battle. Danza Azteca is choreographed by Elizabeth Rivera, Naeem Tiacauh, Ayotl Alston, and Ramon Ramirez with drumming by Naeem Tiacauh, Ayotl Alston, and Jude Royal.

The state of Jalisco is home of the songs and dances of Guadalajara, a city well known for its beautiful people, Mariachis, and elaborate fiestas. The lyrics and movements of the songs and dances depict country life in general, and often use imagery of the courtships of the animals as a metaphor for the relationships of people. The themes are of love, humor, and tragedy, and thus tell the story of a colonized people who nevertheless thrive and contribute immeasurably to life as we know it in the Americas. Choreographed by Jeff O’Connor and Jacqueline Silva, the dances include “Las Alazanas” performed by Ballet Folklórico Infantil de Arcata, “El Gavilancillo”, “El Gusto”, and “El Son De La Negra” performed by Ballet Folklórico de Humboldt, and “Jarabe Tapatio” performed by the Fiesta Folklórica Ensemble and Eureka High School LatinX Club: Folklórico Dancers.

The dancers, directors and choreographers of the 3rd Annual Fiesta Folklórica want you to know how important and amazing this performance is for the community. Alexis Quiros Arredondo says, “In a world where people who look like me and my peers are detained and deported for being brown and having specific features it is important to be in spaces that celebrate and empower each other. We have so many different backgrounds in our group and have created connections within the university but also in the community. Folklórico is an important part of my life, I have danced for about 15 years and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Fiesta Folklórica provides the space for me to showcase my passion.” Director Jaqueline Silva expresses her sentiments, “It is so beautiful to see a concert dedicated to celebrating Mexican culture, especially during these challenging times. This concert will bring so much joy not only to our dancers, but to our community as well. This concert would not be possible without the help of everyone involved including Linda Maxwell, Elizabeth Rivera, Naeem Tiacauh Ayotl Alston, Maria Talavera, and Kelly Ramon. A special thanks to Jeff O’Connor and a few of our dancers that have been working closely with Eureka High School’s Folklórico dancers. Jeff has been such a great support system to the youth dancers of Ballet Folklórico Infantil de Arcata. It truly does take many hands of support to make a concert of this size a success. I can’t wait to see the final outcome!”

DATES/TIMES

• Friday, Feb. 28 : 7 p.m.
• Saturday, March 1 : 7 p.m.

WHERE

• Van Duzer Theater

PRICE

• $13
• $8 Children
• Free Cal Poly Students with ID