The annual Folklórico is a two-day bilingual event in Spanish and English at the Latino Cultural Center from FREE and open to the public from 1 PM to 8 PM both days. Conveniently located in Downtown Dallas near Central Expressway and Live Oak St.
It is a combination of performances, workshops, and classes involving over twenty local and state music and folkloric groups plus two international groups, for a total of over four hundred performing artists. The festival is free to the public and will bring together a multi-ethnic group of local artists and international professionals to share their traditional folkloric music, dance, art, customs, crafts, and food.
This event is also being put on by the Ollimpaxqui Ballet Company
History of Folklorico
According to the Houston Institute of Culture, the origins of folklorico stem from ancient people, the mezcla or mixing of the races by foreign peoples and their evolution of culture and traditions. At a time before borders existed, the Aztecs viewed all the land extending from present day Mexico north to the day U.S. as Anahuac. The culture and dance traditions of these indigenous groups have remained alive through folklorico dancing. The website for the Houston Institute of Culture has more detailed information about the different folklorico dances of different regions.
Of special interest in Texas is the regional state of Nuevo Leon, Nuevo Leon is a northern state that borders Texas. When the Germans came, they settled mostly in the Texas hill country and Nuevo Leon. Unlike the hill country Germans who were mostly agricultural, the latter settled in Nuevo Leon to also establish breweries. Their influence in Texas country-western music and Tejano music is unmistakable but often overlooked. The style of dance: polkas, waltzes and chotize, or "schottische". The tuba sound in Mexican/Tejano music was improvised by base guitars and the accordion was introduced. The accordion in Tejano conjunto music was mostly used by the common labor working people; Much of the original Tejano music was based on ballads or corridos from Mexican revolutions; another oral history form, such as: Adelita, Tiempos Amargos, El Cuartelozo.
Popular Ballet Folklorico Companies in North Texas
If you are interested in learning Ballet Folklorico you can visit these companies in the North Texas area:
Anita M. Martinez Ballet Folklorico
Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl
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