Sixteen-year-old Jose Rosales did what he loves Tuesday: demonstrating Mexican folk dance moves for more than 300 schoolchildren in a Cinco de Mayo celebration.
When the music ended, he explained what he wanted the youngsters to take from the performance of the dance troupe Fiesta Colorado. “I want them to not be afraid to express their culture in school,” he said.
Rosales and the three other dancers were dressed in white traditional costumes, the girls wearing lace-trimmed dresses, faux- rose garlands twisted into their hair.
“This is like a full-time job,” said Cassandra Sanchez, 16, a sophomore at the Brighton school district’s Prairie View High School. The troupe practices four hours Mondays and three more Thursdays before performing on the weekends. “You never stop. You never want to stop.”
The members of Aztec Dancers Chimaltonalli wore feathered headdresses and costumes based on those worn by the Aztecs.
“We are here to show you that this tradition is still here. We present this to you so you can see that there is an indigenous culture that still does these things,” Santiago Jaramillo, 35, told the audience of elementary and middle school students from Aurora and Cherry Creek schools.
The seven members of Chimaltonalli who performed are related. Among them was 2- year-old drummer Chiconoyolotl, who bangs out rhythm with a pair of sticks half as long as he is.
“This is a big coming-together for a big celebration,” said Renee Fajardo, a member of Chimaltonalli and program director for the Colorado Folk Arts Council.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates a Mexican victory over the French, who occupied parts of the country in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War.
The day remembers a “cultural convergence” when Mexicans, who descended from native tribes as well as the Spaniards, stood against a formidable army, Fajardo told the children.
“This is how we gather together as people and stand against a giant,” Fajardo told the children.
The schoolchildren clapped and cheered throughout the event.
“It was cool,” Victor Castillo, 12, of West Middle School said.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
