Mexican Culture Lives Through Dance, by Adamaris Lomas-Vasquez

Please enjoy this article by a student in DMHS's "Introduction to Journalism" class. 

        In downtown Denver, Cinco De Mayo is a huge event where everyone is invited and welcome. The holiday celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While the holiday is not widely celebrated in Mexico, it is still popular amongst Mexican Americans in America. There is a lot of entertainment and food. One of the entertainments is Folklorico Dancing. Folklorico Dancing has been around for many years. It is mostly known for the dresses, the movement of the dresses, and the music. 

“Folklorico Dancing came many many years ago and it came from the Aztec, Indians, and the hieroglyphics or Mexico, and they kind of incorporated different positions into folkloric dancing. And each region in Mexico, like Chapas, has their own music and costume. Vera Cruz has their own music with their costume of Vera Cruz, and Jalisco has their own music and costume along with Chihuahua and all the different regions,” said dance teacher Lisa Trujillo.  While each style of Folklorico has a different dress style, all styles have wide heavy skirts that move dramatically with the dancer.

Lisa Trujillo used to be a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos, but she has been dancing Folklorico since she was five years old. It plays a very important part in her life. She also teaches Folklorico Dancing. She has been teaching this style of dance since she was twenty years old.

“I love teaching Mexican Folclórico Dancing because it’s part of my culture and I like to keep the costumes and dances alive to keep the tradition going,” said Lisa Trujillo. 

This year Lisa Trujillo’s Dance Academy will be dancing in the Downtown Denver Cinco De Mayo Event. Her dance academy has been doing this for a really long time, and they really enjoy it. Lisa Trujillo choreographs all of the dances. For two months they practice so that the dances will be clean and neat in time for the event. 

“I’ve never performed at the Cinco De Mayo events, so this will be my first year, but last year I went to one to see if I wanted to join and I really liked how it looked and that was just what made me want to join Folklorico Dancing. I really love the dresses,” says Jaylynn Olivas, one of the dancers.

“I feel very proud of you because you are going to be dancing Folklorico in Downtown Denver in the celebration of Cinco de Mayo, because you are going to be representing our culture!” says Rosita Vazquez, a parent of one of the dancers. Her daughter always danced for her family as a little girl, so when she was five, Rosita took her to Lisa Trujillo’s Folklorico classes and she’s loved it ever since.

The specifics of the performance are yet to be determined but for more information, search for Lisa Trujillo’s Dance Academy.

Adamaris Lomas-Vasquez is an 8th grader at DMHS. She loves acting and is currently rehearsing a role in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" for the DPS Shakespeare Festival.