Мексиканские народные танцы: традиции и история

Collective term for traditional Mexican dances

Baile folklórico, "folkloric dance" in Spanish, also known as ballet folklórico, is a collective term for traditional cultural dances that emphasize local folk culture with ballet characteristics – pointed toes, exaggerated movements, highly choreographed. Baile folklórico differs from danzas and regional bailes. Although it has some association from “danzas nationalists". Folk dances", that is, "dances that you will find in the villages, not on stage" were researched and disseminated by Alura Angeles de Flores. Each region in Mexico, the Southwestern United States and Central American countries is known for a handful of locally characteristic dances.

The state of Jalisco, for example is especially known for its Jarabe Tapatio, son and el baile de los sonajeros which accompany its famous mariachi. One of the most popular songs is "El Son de la Negra". The state of Guerrero is known for its sintesis and tixtla. Michoacán is known for its huetamo and “Historia del Traje de la Mujer Michoacana,” a dance which depicts a local folktale Alegria, 1995. Though the dances differ from region to region, the basic steps and style of dance are similar. Traditional bailes in the majority of regions of Mexico are characterized by a basic set of steps called zapateados which involve percussive heel stomping.

Costumes in the southwest United States are characterized by denim and western shirts while costumes of the Federal District of Mexico reflect a stronger traditional Spanish influence and those of the Yucatán reflect indigenous traditions. Oaxaca is most recognized for the detail in the embroidery of their dresses and the empowerment their costumes give woman from the attention to detail and extravagance. Heavy makeup for many regions is also heavily encouraged to resemble a doll.

Amalia Hernandez pioneered baile folklorico in the 1950s with her establishment and leadership of the Ballet Folklorico Mexico. Additionally, she founded a school in Mexico City for the study and practice of classical and folkloric dance techniques. Prior to its rise in popularity among student and community groups, bailes folklóricos were (and currently are) performed as a part of large parties or community events. The mariachi musicians generally stand in a line at the back of the performance space and perform without written musical notation, while the dancers perform in couples in front of the mariachis. Nowadays there are both private and public Folklorico groups that get together and compete, for example the USA Ballet Folklorico Nationals.

Mestizaje refers to the whitening of Indigenous people during the colonisation of the Americas specifically by Spanish and Portuguese colonisers. In Mexico, there have been attempts at using Mestizaje to create a national identity through art, music, and dance. Ballet Folklorico has also become a symbol of Mestizaje and the mixing of Spanish and Indigenous Mexican music and dance forms. This can be seen in its history and its formal elements such body movements, gestures, and dress. One example of this is in Ballet Folklorico of Mexico (founded by Amalia Hernandez, a self identified Mestiza). In one program, they noted: “It is in the mestizaje of the indigenous and the Spanish where one will find one of the essential traits of the mexican people: A whole series of expressions are colored by their own vigorous style.” them with their own style and for stage performance. In the case of Ballet Folklorico, that involves western techniques brought in through Amalia Hernandez, whose own upbringing and dance education was multicultural and international. She learned ballet from Russian and French teachers and “studied indigenous and regional Mexican dance, tap, modern” and other dance forms. that attracts over 50 groups and more than 1000 dancers to La Esperanza, Intibucá, from many different communities in Honduras. Many different traditional dances have been documented in the cities, towns, villages and hamlets of Honduras. These are certified authentic and cataloged in the library of the National Office of Folklore of Honduras. The folkloric dances of Honduras incorporate elements of the indigenous, European and African ancestry fused in the Honduran culture. The mix includes dances that have originated locally as well as dances that have been brought by people from surrounding countries and regions. Reflecting both history and culture, Honduran folk traditions accompany and represent significant events in peoples' lives. Since the 1950s, folklorists starting with Rafael Manzanares Aguilar have documented about 150 traditional dances and the costumes and music that have accompanied them in the communities from which they originated. The National Office of Folklore is part of the Ministry of Public Education. These are broadly categorized as colonial, mestizo, indigenous (or campesino), and Garifuna, reflecting the primary cultural influence of a particular dance. The costumes fall into similar categories.