MEXICAN TRADITIONAL DANCES
What makes you proud?
Founded in 1984 by Arnulfo Camarillo, this organization presents the rich tradition of Mexican dance. His student, Ray Terronez, Jr. is now lead dance instructor: I always got the complaint from my friends that I wasn’t Mexican because I didn’t know Spanish. My response was that I knew how to dance and perform to Mexican folk music. That’s something that I ‘m proud of. I think that is part of my culture and my path to learning about it. The dances—they all tell a story.
Former dancer Elena Anderson agrees: My daughter is three and hopefully she’ll start going to practices next year. I would be so proud if she decided to dance because I think that it is in her blood. I think that growing up around the music and dance makes me proud of who I am and I want her to have this same feeling.
More information on this art form and artist can be found in our Teacher’s Guide.
Additional Resources
The Iowa Folk Arts Program media-enabled website featuring the Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico founder Arnulfo Camarillo.
Multimedia lesson plans featuring vibrant video footage of Ballet Folklorico group Pacifico Dance Company performing at the Kennedy Center.
The Mexican Folkloric Dance Company of Chicago: Events, History, Illinois Master Artists http://www.mexfoldanco.org
The premier Ballet Folklorico company of Mexico: http://www.balletamalia.com
The Smithsonian Folkways has a few curriculum lessons developed for Mexican Music forms, including this lesson on son jarocho and related dance forms.
Curriculum featuring Pennsylvania’s traditional Ballet Folklorico dancers.
