The lights come up, the music begins, and the stage suddenly comes to life with bright skirts, excited faces and the synchronized rhythm of dancing feet. The members of the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Georgetown move through a whirlwind of dance and music styles from the nation’s different regions, in the showcase “Carnaval Mexicano,” rich in talent and culture.
This, the 6th annual performance, marks the beginning of Chicana Month at Georgetown, sponsored by the SAC group MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztl?n). The two groups make the Hispanic presence on campus evident and substantial. Led masterfully by the notable Laura Ortiz, former professional dancer and current professor in the Program for Performing Arts, the group builds on their repertoire each year.
Consisting of Georgetown students from all years and two male members from the D.C. area, the ensemble provides an artistic outlet for students involved. The majority of the dancers come from Hispanic backgrounds, and Ballet Folklorico is one of several groups at Georgetown, such as the South Asian Society with its Rangila, whose performances enrich campus culture. Watching the dancers for the first time, one cannot help but marvel at their talent and exuberance in doing what they have come to love.
The different segments of the show, all displaying ornate and colorful costumes and a variety of traditional music recordings, each impart their unique flavors. The section from Veracruz, the oldest city on the Gulf of Mexico, is particularly engaging, beginning with a slow, haunting procession of women dressed all in white, wearing candles atop their heads, while stepping and flowing in line. The rhythmic footfalls reminiscent of Samba drumbeats hypnotize the audience, until the music changes, the men come out, and the rhythm picks up to a flirtatious, playful partner dance. Whistling and calling from the dancers and audience engage the audience with the show, making it an entirely enjoyable experience.
The dance ensemble begins practicing at the start of the school year in September, and, without any auditions, is open to all who are interested. There has been strong participation by students of all years, with dancers returning each year. This year, six of the 13 members are first-years.
The co-ed group is slightly short on males, however each number uses this fact to its advantage. At first in couples, continuing with the ladies alone, then with a combination of both, the ratio provides for some variety in choreography.
From rehearsals at the start of the year, the dancers, under the direction of Ortiz and Student directors Clarivel Fong (MSB ‘06) and assistant Melissa Jara (CAS ‘06), begin with simple moves and basic footwork, and build upon their skills, until they have reached the quick, rhythmic steps and ornate moves that fill the performance space. Each year the group gets better, and they can add more regions of dance styles for more diversity.
The show will include a variety of Mexican-flavored elements, including the live mariachi group, Mariachi Estrellas, for traditional music interludes between dance numbers. For those suffering from the lack of quality Mexican food in the D.C. area, note that intermission will offer genuine Mexican appetizers for sale, including taquitos and tamales.
The interactive experience of calling back and forth between dancers and audience, and the mastery that these fellow Georgetown students have achieved, makes the evening very engaging. The fact that the dancers are evidently having fun, makes any audience member want to smile, stand up and dance.
Carnaval Mexicano will be performed in Walsh Black Box on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door.
