After delivering a vibrant performance last Saturday, March 21, the MacArthur folklorico dancers showcased their talent and culture. Through dedication and teamwork, the dancers competed in a Mexican folk dance competition in Corpus Christi, getting second place in the high school category.
“Folklorico represents something that you can do to express yourself,” dancer Nina Aycock said. “With what’s going on in the world, people are sometimes afraid to say where they are from or what culture they belong to, and dancing folklorico allows me to represent that and make people feel better about themselves and their culture.”
Preparing for a performance takes time, both individually and as a group. From practicing choreography to organizing costumes.
“I practice a lot at home and at practice,” Aycock said. “I make a checklist of everything that I need so I won’t forget anything. We all work together to make sure that we have our costumes, our hair done, and the type of makeup so we can all look the same.”
Beyond the performances itself, the group shares traditions that strengthen their bond.
“After every performance we usually take a foot picture, which is like a good luck symbol for our future performances,” Aycock said.
The group performed two traditional dances that represented regional culture from Mexico.
“We did La Orquidea and La Gata de Tamaulipas Huasteca,” Lilia Deleon said.
For the dancers, the experience goes beyond dancing, it’s also about pride and friendship.
“I felt proud that I was able to dance with my friends and that I think we were quite impressive.” Deleon said.
