On Saturday Feb. 7, bright lights, traditional music and colorful costumes greeted those who came out to watch ballet folklórico dancers from Laredo and across the state.
While the festival was first an exquisite display of Mexican culture, it stood a dual purpose: TAMIU’s own Ballet Folklórico recently suffered the loss of one of their members-Georgina Vital-and dedicated the night’s festivities in her honor.
“We are dedicating this festival to her. And I know that Gina is watching us and that she’s dancing in heaven with all the angels.” Said Sandra Leal, the director of TAMIU’s Folklórico group.
Intended to allow other Folklórico groups to interact with each other and expose the public to the magnificence of Mexican Folklórico through public performance, TAMIU Ballet Folklórico sponsored its tenth annual Festival Folklórico, which included many guest performers: Alcorta’s Dance Studio from Corpus Christi, Mestizo Escuela de Baile Folklórico from San Antonio, Ballet Folklórico Mixteco from Houston, and Ballet Folklórico Viva México from Corpus Christi.
Local performers were from A.T. Dovalina Elementary School, Colonel Santos Benavides Elementary School, Texas A&M International University Ballet Folklórico Juvenil, and Texas A&M International University Ballet Folklórico.
Dancing to an assortment of songs, each group of dancers brought a unique sense of style to the stage.
One group in particular, the Texas A&M International University Ballet Folklórico Juvenil, received a chorus of cheers from proud parents and grandparents long before the music started.
However, it was one young performer in particular that captured the crowd’s hearts. The youngest male dancer from Mestizo Escuela de Baile Folklórico had the spectators squealing in delight and clapping fervently throughout his time on stage.
Each song was unique and the performances accompanying them were exquisitely performed. Audience members could feel the energy pulsating from the stage which made the experience all the more personal, making anyone with even a drop of Mexican heritage, and even those who had none, proud of the effort these magnificently talented dancers displayed.
So with a rousing round of applause and an appreciation for Ballet Folklórico, this experience is one audiences aren’t likely to forget.