Mexican folk dancing, or ballet folklórico, varies widely through the regions of Mexico. Each of the 32 states has its own dances, dresses, signature colors and even fabrics that suit the different climates, said Isabel Medina, director of Al Son del Folklore.
“We have around two hours total of dances to perform, which would be around 10 states,” Medina said.
Al Son del Folklore is a group that performs ballet folklórico in the Texas Panhandle. The organization was founded in August of 2019 when several members of Medina’s Zumba class found out she had been involved in folk dancing when she lived in Mexico and wanted to learn themselves. Then, as parents started bringing their children with them, the group grew.
“We started as 10 people only,” Medina said. “Now, we have 30 between the adults, children and youth.”
Medina explained that she tries to keep the dances the children perform different from the adults, but the children are always eager to learn new things.
Al Son del Folklore performs at a variety of different events, including private parties, church, and school and city events. Most recently, the dancers performed at a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in Memphis. Medina noted that Hispanic Heritage Month is an important celebration of Hispanic people and their contributions to the workforce, food, and more in the United States.
"There is a lot that we share with everybody in the community, and we can enjoy it together,” she said.
Medina explained that folkloric dancing is a discipline and requires hard work. Many of the current members of Al Son del Folklore didn’t expect to ever perform these dances because of the difficulty.
“It takes work, but they’re doing it now,” Medina said. “In the time you’re dancing, you forget anything about rehearsing or that your feet hurt. You’re only focused on showing the joy you’re feeling.”
