At three in the afternoon, the red curtains of the Downey Theatre open to the sounds of polkas, sones de artesa, Aztec dance, Jalisco-style zapateado, Sinaloa banda music, fandango, sones jarochos, huastecos, and mariachi. This marks the inaugural performance of the 1st Annual Los Angeles International Folklorico Festival, held from July 11 to 15, 2024, with events taking place at three different venues, including Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland in California.
Conceived by Kareli Montoya, director of the Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles, social work master, and daughter of Mexican parents, shared in an exclusive interview with El Heraldo de Mexico USA that the festival was born from a conversation with Professor Cristian Ramírez, a cultural promoter from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, while they were touring the United States.
"This is the first time I've gathered so many dancers and artists on one stage, so I'm very excited that we are here and this dream has come true. We hope to continue doing many more," said Montoya.
In front of a culturally diverse audience typical of Los Angeles County but mainly of Mexican origin, eight local, Mexican, and Chicago-based companies performed: Ballet Folklórico del Bravo (Mexico), Compañía Folklórica de la Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (México), Compañía Folklórica de Ciudad Juárez, Ballet Folklorico Los Angelitos (Los Angeles, California), Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California), Ballet Folklorico Tayahua (Waukegan, Illinois), Ballet Folklorico Aztlán (Northern Illinois University), and Ballet Coco de Esteban Coronado (Los Angeles, California), as well as dancers from the Kareli School of Folklorico.
More than 250 dancers and musicians from Mariachi Espectacular reminded everyone with their footwork and songs like "La Bikina" and a tribute to Juan Gabriel that Mexican identity is carried in the heart. As Kareli Montoya explained, for Mexicans in the United States, folkloric dance and culture are about preserving roots and maintaining a connection with Mexico.
"For us here in the United States, we seek identity, and thus, we honor our Mexican culture. Most of the young people who dance in Los Angeles are children of Mexicans; my parents are migrants, my grandparents, and it is like a tribute to our Mexican culture because here we are considered Mexican, and we also feel very Mexican," highlighted Montoya, who is also the director of the Kareli School of Folklorico.
Another festival objective is to be a space for learning and exchange within the discipline and strengthen ties with companies from Mexico and the United States. Therefore, workshops and classes were held with specialists from the three Mexican dance groups from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.
When asked about the significance of sharing a bit of Mexico with a community interested in knowing but above all in remembering and preserving a sense of belonging to a country, Víctor Manuel Miranda, general director of Ballet Folklórico del Bravo, reminded us that art and dance are essential vehicles for memory.
"They are the roots; it is how we know many of the traditions and customs of the towns: in the dance, with the costumes, and in the colors. For us, it is very important to present traditional things, not so much for show, so that people see what it is like, and the people who are here and are Mexican feel the emotion of seeing us dance," he said.
Mariachi Espectacular presented the audience with a varied program that included cumbias and ballads with a unique style. Photo: Patricia Tepozteco/Heraldo USA
Jorge Barraza Luna, director of Compañía Folklórica de Ciudad Juárez, emphasized the importance of sharing traditional dances in spaces with a significant presence of the Mexican community. "We know that many families share these traditions and that they come and see the roots of their towns, which is a great emotion and commitment we take as dancers. Although a border divides us, the music and traditions of both countries beat in the same heart, with the Mexican community here in the United States," he said.
What is next for the Annual Los Angeles International Folklorico Festival?
The first festival also showcases the great strength of the community dedicated to promoting Mexican folkloric dance and mariachi in Los Angeles. They aim to continue growing and promoting cultural exchange.
"I hope more groups will come in the future and also local groups so that we can build connections, cross borders, make friends, and most importantly, we want the Mexicans here to see that we appreciate their culture and want to learn from them, and hopefully, they will also learn a little about what we do here," emphasized Kareli Montoya.
Rope tricks accompanied by mariachi were also featured at the festival. Photo: Patricia Tepozteco/Heraldo USA
On the other hand, Isidro Hurtado, "Chilo," an instructor at the Kareli School of Folklorico, highlighted that the festival could even grow to include more countries and generate camaraderie.
"There are many groups here, people from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Russia, Brazil (…). I think the future of this international festival is to bring groups from other countries, to recognize the world's diversity, and to have a big and complete festival like the ones in other countries," he said.
Standing in front of the stage, watching girls like Madeline — with a Mexican mother and an Egyptian father — dancing or hearing songs like "My Way" by Frank Sinatra performed by Mariachi Espectacular, it is impossible not to admire and recognize the strength and importance of the Mexican community in California, a state where, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 12 million people of Mexican origin (2020).
Culture is nostalgia, memories, life, dance, continuous creation, exchange, and, above all, the driving force of an entire community of dancers, musicians, and families who organize to showcase and reaffirm their identity in one of the most diverse countries in the world.