Heart & Sol! - Week 16

Hello Everyone!  Do I have any readers left after last week's post?  Or is everyone hating on the wedo now?  Just kidding!  I know you love me and you're still on the journey!  Welcome the countries of Australia and Belarus to the blog.  It's nice to have you along for the journey.  Thank you to all the new readers and those of you who have "liked" my Facebook page, One Big Wedo (Guero).  I like that you "LIKE"!  I was beginning to wonder if there was anyone out there in cyber world with Facebook because it has taken a long time for people to "like" the wedo! 

Let me encourage you to head over to Facebook and search for "One Big Wedo (Guero)".  My page should pop right up!  BAM!  World of wedoness!  Click your pointer on the "Like" button and you'll be connected to all things Big Wedo.  That was easy!  Welcome to my world!

Keep sharing the blog with your friends, families, co-workers, acquaintances, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, roommates, enemies, strangers, pets, etc. - EVERYONE!  I really, really appreciate it.  I would "LIKE" to get at least 3000 reader pageviews by Week 26, which will be half way through the blogging journey.  That would be awesome.  You don't need Facebook to share the blog with others.  Just send them to www.onebigwedo.blogspot.com and they can encounter the wedo experience for themselves!  All you need is an Internet connection. 

HEART & SOL: 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Sol de Mexico Ballet Folklorico in Riverside, California for inviting me to come dance the region of Durango with you in your recent show El Mitote.  I sincerely appreciate it.  Your contribution to the Big Wedo's development is something I will hold on to for the rest of my life.  I had a lot of fun dancing and practicing with your group.  So again I say, "Thank You!"

In the beginning, when Richard started taking me with him everywhere, one place he took me was Sol de Mexico BF in Riverside, California.  Every Wednesday night he would go and practice with them for their upcoming show, Herencia Mexicana 2011:  "Para Morir Nacimos" which was held at the University Theatre in Riverside on October 29, 2011.  (Note:  The show Herencia Mexicana has no affiliation to Richard's group Herencia Mexicana BF!  They are two separate things, not to be confused with one another!  There is just a whole lot of "Herencia Mexicana" going on!)  I would sit in the lobby of their studio and watch their practices through the door leading to the studio floor and absorb as much as I could.  This was part of my initiation into the folklorico world. 

One particular region they were practicing, Durango, caught my eye.  Sort of reminded me of square dancing a little.  Plus the music was catchy.  I liked it.  The show came and went and afterwards no more Wednesday night practice sessions for Richard and I.  At least not for the moment anyway.

In 2012 members of Sol and Herencia crossed paths a few times over the course of the year.  In September, we went to watch Sol's performance in La Plaza de Las Americas at the LA County Fair in Pomona, California.  Towards the end of the year, Richard asked a mother whose daughters dance in Sol, to make Herencia some Vera Cruz braided hairpieces.  He liked her braids and wanted to add them to the Herencia version of the Vera Cruz costume.  We went to pick up the completed braids at one of Sol's performances at The Riverside Festival of Lights in December.  These events all led up to an invitation for Herencia to come and perform a couple of Chihuahua dances at Sol's next Festival of Lights performance.  I have blogged about that in the past, calling it my personal best performance of 2012.  You can view the videos on The Folklorico Channel on YouTube.
 

One day earlier this year, Richard and I were talking about our Chihuahua performance at The Riverside Festival of Lights.  In the course of that discussion I mentioned to him that I would like to dance Durango some time if an opportunity ever came along. 

There are several regions I want to dance and perform still before my days of folklorico are over, including Colima, Tamaulipas Polkas, Yucatan, Guerrero, Aquascalientes, Michoacan, and perhaps Baja.  Sol de Mexico BF has a rockin' Baja dance, by the way, that I like!  I also want to learn some of those Jalisco dances with the serape.  And if someone is brave enough to trust the wedo with a machete, I'm down to try Nayarit.  Be aware however, the wedo can be uncoordinated and might slice off your hand!  I have been accused of being limp wristed!  And of course, I want to learn more dances from the regions I've already studied.  Plus a whole lot of Polkas!  Polka, polka, polka!  It's the German in me.  For the record, Germany is my second largest reading audience next to the United States.  Hello my peeps!  On the contrary, no readers from Mexico yet. 

Anyways, back to Durango.  Ironically, a day or two after Richard and I had that discussion, he received a phone call from Carmen Dominguez, Executive Director at Sol de Mexico Ballet Folklorico.  She asked him if I might be interested in dancing Durango with them for their upcoming show Herencia Mexicana 2013:  El Mitote.  WOW!  Is that cool or what?  YEAH!  He asked and I said yes, so we drifted over to Sol and started attending Wednesday practices with them again.  Sol also invited Herencia to dance the two Chihuahua dances of La Dificultosa and La Jesusita at the show.  Very cool.  And during this whole time, another opportunity came up with Sol to dance our Chihuahua dances!  So three performances resulted in collaborating with Sol de Mexico BF!  Thank you Sol!

Sol de Mexico BF was the only group I had ever seen dance Durango until about two weeks before their big show.  A trip to the Redlands Market Night resulted in watching a performance of folklorico.  Imagine that!  A couple performed two dances from Durango.  One dance was a different version of one of the songs we were dancing with Sol.  It was interesting to see.  From my limited observations and exposure to Durango, one common element in the "Durango style" is the rope effect.  In both Sol's Durango and the other group's version, they used their arms to simulate a rope wrangling effect.  I have been told that this is a common theme in Durango style.

Practices started in January and next thing I knew April 13th, the day of the show, arrived!  Show Time!

HERENCIA MEXICANA 2013:  EL MITOTE

The term "El Mitote" has several meanings in Spanish.  I looked up the Spanish to English translation and definition of the word and the following is what I found.  The term literally translates to "brawl" (noun) and has several meanings including:

1.)  Commotion
2.)  An Indian dance. 
3.)  Aztec ritual.
4.)  Household Festival.
5.)  Fastidiousness, affectedness.
6.)  Riot, uproar, disturbance, confusion.
7.)  Chat.

I find the term fit the show in many good ways.

For me personally, this was my first folklorico performance of this kind.  I have not performed folklorico in any formal theater settings with stage lighting and where tickets were sold.  This event took place in the historic Civic Center Theater in Corona, California on April 13, 2013.  The show  sold out completely and people even stood along the back of the auditorium to see the show!  I have performed in theaters before in various productions throughout high school and college.  It was nice to return to the stage in this setting and under these circumstances.  Over all, it was a show of "firsts" for me!  First time performing Durango, first time dancing with Sol de Mexico BF, first folklorico theater performance, first time sharing the stage with Aztec dancers and first time writing a blog post about it!  Wow, what a significant event for the Big Wedo.

The show included Aztec dancing.  Although I have seen Azteca before, this was the first time participating in a production with Aztec dancers.  They were amazing.  Their costumes and head pieces extraordinary.  I wouldn't mind trying it myself sometime for fun.  I'm not fit for those costumes however as they are too revealing and expose way too much skin for my modest temperament!  Besides I'm afraid that people would get blinded by the white!  I mean light.  I mean frightened by the sight! Too much jiggle in my shake!  Got to hit the gym first.

In the first half of the show, Herencia Mexicana BF performed their Chihuahua set.  Herencia performed at Herencia!   After intermission came my Durango set with Sol de Mexico BF.  In between the two came an appearance on the stage dressed in a flamboyant ruffled sleeved shirt and a cat mask in what I would call a very Marti Gras carnival moment in the show.  Should have been there to see it.  I'm a natural in ruffles.  If anyone got a picture of the "big kitty" please make sure I get it!  All that was missing was the feather boa!  Reminded me of my burlesque days but that's another story!  After three hours, the show ended, we took our bows and Sol de Mexico BF presented Richard and Herencia Mexicana BF a plaque in appreciation.  Thank you Sol. 

 

 

More specifically, there were three Durango dances.  The songs we performed to were El Jaral, El Revolcadero and Las Virginias.  The music is up tempo, lively and instrumental.  It has that polka feel to it, which I like.  A lot of accordion.  I listen to polka music sometimes for my own personal enjoyment.  I have collected several records of it as I come across them in my shopping adventures.  I also have polka on my Pandora Radio.  A term used for this style of music is "reel".  The music goes around and around in a sense.  Reels are popular in folk music according Wikipedia and are often notated in simple meter.  It's important as a dancer to stay alert while dancing to reels because it is easy to get lost in the repetitious mix.

I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of something like this.  Backstage was a whole different experience as dancers, actors and staff were busy about changing costumes and such in an organized commotion of activity.  I really have an appreciation for what all went into the show.  A lot of hard work.  Hopefully I will have another opportunity to do something big and formal again.

There are many spectacular pictures of the show on Facebook on the Multicultural California page.  Go check them out.  Be sure to "LIKE" the page as well.  Multicultural California is a wonderful resource for folk dancing photos, videos, event notices and more.  Plus Multicultural California has been a big supporter of the blog as well.  Thank you and keep your comments coming.  I really enjoy reading them.  It was very nice to meet you at the show. 

Below are some photos of my Durango costume.  I liked the shirt so much that I purchased it after the show.  I'm going to wear it for going out "Durango" style.  No, not "Gangnam Style", but "Durango Style"!  Who knows, perhaps I'll start a new trend!  Plus, as I have mentioned before, I like to buy my own costumes.  Why?  Well, I think that when I get too old and arthritic to dance anymore, in my old age, I'm going to dress up some mannequins and place them around my home in a sort of Wedo Folk Costume Museum.  That way I will always have the memories of my folklorico years around me. 

Below are some more pictures of my fun times with Sol de Mexico BF at Wednesday practices before the show.  Although I have no photos of their warm ups, they do high kicks sometimes in their warm up routine!  Fun!  I got to release my inner Rockette!   

LESSONS LEARNED:

If you have been following my blog then you know I have a tendency to analyze every little detail.  Say it isn't so!  Yes, it's true, I know.  This experience taught me several new things about dancing in general and made me realize some things about my own personal dancing.  It also reinforced the need to address some on-going habits I have that need correcting.  I appreciate all the awareness.  It has helped me in my self evaluation of my technique and development.  So what are some of the things I learn?  Here's a list:

• Stand Up Straight!  Enough said. 
• Look Up!  Although in some of the photos I noticed it appeared I was looking down.  I was looking at the audience as I like to watch them as they watch me!  It was dark in there so I could only see the front few rows of people.  I wasn't watching my feet - just for the record.
• Smile!  In some of the photos it looked like I set my jaw to rigidly, so I can work on softening that up a bit.
• The more dancers on stage, the more effort needed to pay attention to being in sync with each other.  I like having all the people on stage like that, I just need to become more aware of my fellow dancers. 
• Keep those loose hands on your belt buckle Mr. Smith!
• Lose 5 pounds from your midsection Michael and transplant it to your shoulders and chest.  The camera doesn't lie.  (I'm eating a chocolate donut as I write this!)  Jogging daily was recommended. 
• Timing.  In a couple of the photos I noticed that it appeared that I was a bit off on the timing.  One particular step, the rolling of the ankle, was one that I delayed on.  I've done the step a hundred times since the show to see why I was out of sync with everyone else.  I thought I nailed it!  In my efforts to "kill the white gene" of uncoordination, I think I tend to overdue steps at times.  I believe what happened here is that I did a little hop/bounce before stepping back to roll the foot on its side, whereas everyone else just step back and rolled their foot.  We do a similar step in Tamaulipas and I think I do the same thing - bad habit.  Great awareness for me to fix this before I break an ankle!  I don't want limp ankles too!   

There you have them - lessons learned!  I'm sure there are many more I could add to the list but I won't bore you with all of them.  Thank you Sol for helping the Big Wedo improve

In closing, If anyone is looking for a folklorico home in the Riverside area to begin or continue on their folklorico journey, look no further than Sol de Mexico Ballet Folklorico!  It's a great place to dance and make friends.  Go dance you heart out!  Here's their information.  Call them today!  They are also on Facebook!

OTHER STUFF:

Once again this week Richard and I found ourselves in the fabric district located downtown Los Angeles.  I was looking for sequins for the restoration of our two china dresses I've blogged about in week's past.  I'm determined to have them done before the end of the year.  No luck this time finding the perfect supplies for the restoration.  We did stumble into a find however.  Check out the vintage trim we purchased.  These trims are going to be used in some new folklorico costumes!  Aren't they nice?  I love them.  The middle one is mine!

The shop owner took great pride in specializing in hard to find, discontinued trims and ribbons.  "You won't find them anywhere else!  They don't make them anymore.  This is all that's left of them"  I felt he was happy with my excitement when I discovered them.  My appreciation triggered a reaction in him where his passion for fabrics and trims stirred up a sense of purpose and pride for his shop.  I could tell he really loves his shop.

Lastly, Happy Birthday Richard!  You inspire me.  That's all for now...wedo out!

Contact Information for "The Big Wedo":

Google E-mail: onebigwedo@gmail.com
Facebook: One Big Wedo (Guero)
Twitter: Michael Smith @onebigwedo
Blogger: www.onebigwedo.blogspot.com

Contact Information for Ballet Folklorico de Herencia Mexicana:

Richard Solorzano, Director: (909) 201-1957
Facebook: Herencia Mexicana
E-Mail: Bf_herencia_mexicana@yahoo.com

Duarte Studio Practices:
Herencia Mexicana practices on Saturdays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Please call before coming!

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one! Herencia Mexicana practices in Duarte, California.  Folklorico lessons and performances are both available. Herencia Mexicana performs for private & public events of all kinds. Book your event today! Herencia Mexicana welcomes new students. No previous folklorico or dance experience required. All are welcome.

Commitment Failures & Uncertainty - Week 15

Welcome India!  Thank you for checking in on the Big Wedo!  Glad to have you on board.  One Big Wedo had over 130 pageviews this week alone!  Guess the word is getting around.  This week I had a case of writer's block.  Usually, I am inspired the week before I begin to write the next week's post.  This week nothing was simmering in my spirit.  Week 16's post was however, so next week is all planned out already in my head.  Yes, I have lots of ideas for future posts, I listed many of those on week 9, but I don't write them until I feel inspired to do so.  They have to write themselves in a sense, I don't like to force or work too hard on them. 

In an effort to determine what I should address this week, I confided in Richard.  His suggestion pulled concepts from several different blog ideas I had already in mind.  So, I'm running with it in my own special way.  Ladies and and gentlemen, I present to you week 15's blog:  Commitment Failures & Uncertainty!

COMMITMENT FAILURES & UNCERTAINTY!

I believe, one big reason I have had so much opportunity in the world of folklorico dancing is because there is a shortage of male dancers overall.  I'll admit, it is bizarre for a wedo to dance Mexican folk dance, especially when it's not part of his specific culture.  Granted, The United States Of America is a sort of  'melting pot' of people and cultures.  Interestingly, Mexico is considered the other great American melting pot.  Now there's something we share in common.  But let's be real, there are differences still and characteristics that make us distinct from one another.  No, I'm not having a cultural identity crisis, as I've stated before.  And I'm not someone who is preying on a culture in hopes of fame or to capitalize upon it.  I'm not in this to exploit anything.  The doors have opened for me because I have stayed consistently committed and have proven myself thus far in the journey.

So what's going on in the folklorico world?  Why is there a shortage of dedicated dancers?  There are many, many, many folklorico groups out there - school groups, community center groups, church groups, family groups, social groups, performing groups, academy groups, dance companies, on and on it goes.  Every time you turn your head practically, it seems like another group has popped up on the scene.  Yet, in many instances, these groups are struggling both financially and/or with participation from consistent dedicated dancers.  Sadly, many of these groups are short lived and vanish just as quickly as they appeared.   Typically, from what I've seen, there is an abundance of women dancers and only a couple of men in most groups.  Why is that? 

There are a number of big name mainstream folklorico groups out there.  They have survived the test of time.  "Survival of the fittest" is what some may argue.  They have an established reputation and are popular, respected and revered which has given them power and influence.  Serious dancers seek them out.  Some groups have  waiting lists of people that want to join.  Some groups require auditions.  This makes me wonder, what is it about these groups that causes serious dancers to seek them out so diligently?  What's missing in the other groups?  Is it the name? Perhaps.  But I think there is something deeper going on here. 

CURRENT SOCIETY:

In the USA, mainstream folklorico dancing is looked at as a form of entertainment these days.  Perhaps in some internal cultural settings and/or cultural art presentations, it is more about tradition and heritage.  But for current society in general, I think it gets lumped into the category of entertainment even though aspects of the culture are built into it.  So for the most part, folklorico dancers are in the entertainment business.  So many of the groups out there are utilized for entertainment purposes at parties and celebrations.  But what about those individuals that do not want to be in the entertainment business?  Well, there are groups out there for them too.  The key to everyone's folklorico success and enjoyment is finding the right group for themselves.  There is a perfect fit for everyone who wants to dance.

From my observation, most accomplished and skilled folk dancers are indeed entertainers with a huge desire to perform on the stage.  They are highly driven people.  Although some are devoted solely to the art of folk dancing and keeping it alive, many are motivated by money.  In the USA, there is an obsession with "getting paid."  Some dancers feel that they have paid their dues and have reached a level where they are entitled to financial compensation.  Especially those who have endured.  They want to be compensated for their longevity in the business.  Very much the American way.  Therefore many of the larger performing groups and companies cater to these individuals.  "Show me the money!" 

On the flip side, there are those groups that are more for extra curricular activity and participation.  They tend to attract those who dabble, dilettantes, in folklorico dance.  These are often beginners or people who are dancing as a hobby or for exercise.  These can be great places to establish the basics.  However, they can be places that also develop bad habits as well.   Even some of the large name groups are very basic in their teaching.  They are impressive because they fill the stage to capacity with dancers, yet the footwork is basic and the entire dance is the same steps repeatedly and overall they lack variety and complexity.  

A common theme I see in today's society is parenting skills have changed.  Many people do not encourage their children and help them in their success.  Where is the tough love?  Many of the exceptionally great dancers are the products of parents supporting their children through drive.  Many were products of tough love and although they may not have appreciated it at the time, they realize afterwards, in their time of achieving skillful mastery of the dance, that it was their parent's tough love that caused them to succeed.  These days it's all about feelings and participation.  Everyone's a winner.  No discipline needed.  Personally, I feel it has led to a lazy and blase attitude in America's children and youth.  Whatever is ok.  "It is what it is."  No, it is what you make it or allow it to be!  Parents have a responsibility to instill in their children a sense of motivation, drive and accomplishment.  Otherwise their children risk never becoming much in life and growing up never reaching their full potential.  Obviously there is a right way of going about it, I am not encouraging child abuse or harm to children.  Please don't read that into it.   

One aspect of show business is the obsession with youthfulness.  Folklorico is no different.  Many groups and companies seek the youth of America.  Why?  They are vibrant, alive and full of energy and they visually portray an image that the culture seeks to advertise.  That image being vibrant, alive, full of energy and youthful.  Many paying employers want that image of the culture portrayed in their businesses as well.  So this leads to the idea or mentality that folklorico is for the young only.  I believe this is why so many give it up early on in life.  I hear people say all the time to me, "Yeah I danced folklorico when I was a kid."  I always ask them, "Well why not now?"  There response, "I'm too old."  The reality is they are only in their 30's!

Current society has also created many additional expenditures to dance groups.  Many studios require insurance now due to the sue happy society.  Everyone has to watch their back these days.  The costs add up and it's no wonder that many folklorico groups remain small and practice in backyards or garages to avoid the overhead of running a group.  In addition, there is an added challenge for obtaining financial donations.  Everyone is looking for a tax deduction.  Who can blame them?  People are taxed to death and every little write off helps.  The trend I see is that people will not donate money unless they get to take it off their taxes.  Therefore, groups are burdened with establishing themselves as non-profit businesses. 

DRIFTERS:

One common type of dancer in the folklorico world I have seen is what I call "drifters."  These are people that have established themselves as good technical dancers.  They tend to jump from one group to another group, then to another group, then yet another group in a drifting kind of pattern.  Or they may overly commit themselves and join several different groups all at once.  They are good dancers so they are in demand and are often asked to fill in or help out.  There is nothing wrong with that if the dancer possesses the professional qualities that keep them on top of their game.  However, many good dancers get caught up in a whirlwind of excitement and potential leading to mediocrity.  They never truly master any one group's material and may be considered as unstable and unreliable.  Oftentimes, drifters go wherever there is money to be made and/or dues are waived.  Good dancers get recycled in a sense, used over and over in many different groups.  It is strange to see the same people in multiple groups, dancing under a different group name each time they perform.   

Just as there are potential disadvantages, there are some advantages to drifting.  For those who enjoy dancing a lot, well they get to dance a lot.  Individuals may learn many new techniques and styles and become flexible and grow as a dancer.  These dancers help build alliances between groups and empower a folklorico community atmosphere.  However, they can be a frustration to directors because if they do not retain the material at the time a group needs them to perform it, they may end up as no good use.  This kind of person may be labelled as more self seeking than loyal.  However, in fairness to this type of individual, I will say that one group may not be able to fulfill all of their personal forklorico career goals depending on what their goals are. 

I too have done some drifting.  Early on in my dance experience I participated in a couple groups.  My loyalty has always been to Herencia Mexicana.  However, in the early days I wanted to learn as much as I could and so in the effort to become a better dancer for Herencia, I participated in other groups and workshops.  Then, I realized that although it was helpful in many ways, it also was somewhat harmful and I had to make a choice and set a boundary as to what I was going to allow myself to get involved in.  I had learned one version of Jarabe Tapitio in one group and another in Herencia and the two different versions caused me to get jumbled up at times.  Perhaps it's my ADD.  But I see the same thing happening with other dancers as well. 

So I made a choice.  Now I only dance regions or songs that Herencia does not teach or perform when I dance with other groups.  This way there is no confusion.  Please don't misunderstand me, for those who can handle it, by all means dance your heart out.  But for others, its not a good thing necessarily.  Workshops are good alternative if your looking to build technique and gain exposure to various styles and regions.  These are often short term commitments to help you grow and may be a better option than joining several dance troupes.

DRAMA IN THE RANKS!

As I have mentioned before, I am in college studying theology and Biblical studies.  One thing I learned in Church History is all about splits.  No, not the splits of the legs sort.  I am talking about churches that split over schisms and rifts.  The folklorico world is not different.  It has its share of drama!  Just as there are many denominations in the church, there are many schools of thought in the folklorico world.  In a future post we will explore modern folklorico dancing and some of the different schools of thought out there.  On a side note, membership and demand often are used a qualifiers to legitimize a particular group and their worth to the art.  Therefore, this allows them to have more control over the rules and influence.  It's funny to me how some groups and directors are acknowledged and credited over others.  Why are so many styles discredited?  I think that some of these groups are so well established that they have firmly secured their place and when they're vocal, people listen.

Back to the splits.  How many successful and great folklorico groups have been ruined and compromised by member leaving?  I think there are many.  Why?  Ego may have something to do with it.  Sometimes it's a disagreement between members and an offended party leaves.  Boredom is another reason.  Control is another.  Some dancers decide they want to start their own group.  The reasons are many.  What results from all of this is multiple groups stemming from one original core group.  Which is good for the survival and spread of folklorico dancing.  But the downside to it is that there are multiple groups, often fighting for survival, that are all doing the same material.  There is lack of variety.  I know of several such instances in the LA area.  So many groups all doing the same thing locally.  Had everyone stuck with it in the original group, there would be one strong group still.  It makes sense to me when there are different chapters of a group like one chapter in Mexico and another chapter in Los Angeles.  The distance between them make sense, otherwise you get a lot of copies.  When I studied music my teacher use to always say, "Don't be a copy.  Be an original!"

THE IN-BETWEENERS AND WISHY WASHERS:

Another category of people who dance are those I call the "in-betweeners".  These people are often too advanced for community groups, but not ready for the pros.  They have a lot of potential if they commit.

"Wishy Washers" are people who have all kinds of good intentions, but never follow through.  There's a famous quote that states, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." These folks fail to fully commit.  They will emphatically talk about how dancing is there passion and true love, but at the end of they day it's all talk.  All words, no action.  They come to the occasional practice whenever it fits into their social schedule.  They never consider building their schedule around the dancing.  Every little thing tends to end up more of a priority than the dance group.  Many only want to perform.  They are quick to show up to a performance but look foolish on the stage when they really don't know the material.  Ultimately they end up wasting a lot of the group's time and efforts.   

MEN:

What's up with the men?  Where are all the men at?  The world of folklorico needs more men to dance.  Just like the Army we are "looking for a few good men!"  I get the impression that although many men appreciate the dancing, they just don't feel it's for them.  Let someone else do it.  More so than women, men are quick to offer their services for shows, but don't want to practice.  They have better things to do with their time apparently.  Men are all about machismo.  I get the feeling that some men feel that dancing compromises their manhood and may make them appear weak.  The attitude of "dancing is for women."  Yet, go to any club out there and you see men dancing with their women all over.  Is it the costumes?  What's the deal?  One man told me he felt this was because of the "art" factor.  Folklorico is an art form now instead of just another form of social dancing.  This discourages men from participating.  Men do not want to be "artsy".

DIRECTOR'S DILEMMA:

Winston Churchill said, "If you're going through hell, keep going."  I encourage directors to keep going and don't allow people's failed good intentions stop you!  The abundance of inconsistencies and turnover in a group can be a nightmare for directors when it comes to planning shows and so on.  It makes it difficult to manage a group.  Truth is, both directors and dancers are both responsible for a group's survival.  In some struggling groups I have seen directors out of desperation become overly accommodating to individuals in hopes of keeping them on board.  Likewise, I have seen directors make significant changes over one or two individuals in hopes of potential membership.  Director's can be too tolerant of irresponsible behavior.

Of course, all groups have a natural attrition rate.  People have major life changes that cause them to leave the group.  High school dancing students graduate and go off to college.  People get married.  There's a whole list of good reasons why people quit.  But many people drop out because they don't possess a genuine desire to dance.  They just don't want to prioritize their lives, dedicate themselves, sustain responsibility and manage their time and so on.  Folklorico dancers need to be held accountable if there is going to be a team atmosphere in a group.  When half-hearted people join a group, it brings the whole group down and discourages people, often resulting in a plummeting snowball effect in members leaving and/or dropping out. 

I believe that the major reason that so many talented and skilled individuals seek out mainstream hard core groups is because they are tired of people that are not fully into it.  Famous groups tend to be very strict on their policies and rules which attracts serious people.  Sometimes the more skilled and dedicated the person is they can develop a bit of an attitude, even come across as arrogant.  It doesn't make it right, but it does make it understandable why.

I believe dedication is the key to success.  It is the most important factor.  Dedication is more important than technique and experience.  A person has to make the choice to be dedicated.  If a person is dedicated they will inevitable develop the skill and technique.  Therefore, I would recommend to directors to build your groups around your most dedicated dancers.  Cater to them.  They are your greatest asset.  Your most dedicated dancers will become your best dancers and represent your group well, which will attract others to join. 

CLOSING:

So your probably asking at this point, "Mike, where is this all going?"  First, let me just say that I am not trying to cast a shadow on folklorico dance groups or people.  I don't want to present a negative image; However, I feel that it is my responsibility in blogging to be honest and true to my experience and observations, regardless if they are good, bad or ugly.  I'm simply stating the facts and keeping it real.  All this is, is a wedo's take and analysis on the folklorico industry.  Perhaps my obsession with perfection is influencing me here too strongly.  Or perhaps people just need more commitment. 

Regardless of my opinion here, folklorico will continue on, just as it has for the past several hundreds of years.  I agree that folklorico groups should be fun and enjoyable for everyone.  And there valid reasons for people to miss practices and/or performances, even quit and/or leave. Bottom line is the level of your commitment to it will determine the level of your success and progress.  It also determines which group is right for you!  And for the sake of argument and fairness to everyone's viewpoint I will ask the question, When does folklorico dancing stop being folk dancing and become a perfected art form instead?  I would love to hear your thoughts on that!

    

That all being said, the market is changing out there.  People's expectations in the current society impact dance groups.  Groups are defining themselves more and more and distinguishing between being a program versus a dance company.  Many groups are establishing themselves as non-profit organizations.  With all this activity going on with people and dedication, Herencia Mexicana has had to rethink and reevaluate itself.  There have been multiple challenges to the group including significant fluctuation in membership.  Providing costumes and low dues just aren't cutting it anymore and haven't attracted the right people for a performing group.  So, change is needed.  What does that all entail?  What does that mean for the future?  Time will tell!  There is more to come and you'll have to stay tuned to find out!

To Be Continued..............

Wow!  I guess I got over my block!  I sure said a lot.   

OTHER NEWS:

This week I was asked if I realized that guero had two dots over the "u" in proper spelling and puncuation.  Yes, I do.  I just don't know how to get my computer to do it!  In college, I studied a lot of various languages in diction and phonetics classes.  In German, we called those two dots an umlaut.  I like to call them a "wedo umlaut", now if I could only get my keyboard to cooperate!  Other terms for this diacritic marking are diaeresis or trema.   And since were talking about punctuation and language, I read an interesting statistic on mexicomatters.net this week that ties into last weeks post on language.  According to this resource, "65% of Mexico's population is indigenous and a significant percentage do not speak Spanish."  Wow, the wedo isn't the only one after all!

This week I saw The Mission Play at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse.  There was one scene that stood out to me that I thought was a nice display of various folk dances from different cultures.  In the second act, there was a wedding reception.  At the reception, there was flamenco dancing from Spain, tribal dancing from American Indians and Chinese folk dancing.  It was neat to see all three in a production together like that.

Lastly, this week I was in Los Angeles and passed by the mariachi gazebo.  All I could think about was movie, movie, movie!  That's all for now, wedo out!

Contact Information for "The Big Wedo":

Google E-mail: onebigwedo@gmail.com
Facebook: One Big Wedo (Guero)
Twitter: Michael Smith @onebigwedo
Blogger: www.onebigwedo.blogspot.com

Contact Information for Ballet Folklorico de Herencia Mexicana:

Richard Solorzano, Director: (909) 201-1957
Facebook: Herencia Mexicana
E-Mail: Bf_herencia_mexicana@yahoo.com

Duarte Studio Practices:
Herencia Mexicana practices on Saturdays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Please call before coming!

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one! Herencia Mexicana practices in Duarte, California. Folklorico lessons and performances are both available.  Herencia Mexicana performs for private & public events of all kinds. Book your event today! Herencia Mexicana welcomes new students. No previous folklorico or dance experience required. All are welcome.

  

Breaking The Language Barrier - Week 14

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!  This week, One Big Wedo (Guero) the blog, exceeded 1065+ page views!  I am shocked!  That is awesome!  Here we are at week 14 and kicking off the second quarter of the journey.  Before we move forward, let's take a quick moment and review the journey thus far: 

Week 1:  Getting Started - The blogging journey begins!
Week 2:  In The Beginning - How the Big Wedo's dancing journey started!
Week 3:  The United States of Mexico - The motherland of folklorico!
Week 4:  History In The Making - The Big Wedo's lack of dance experience!
Week 5:  What To Wear? - Costumes anyone?
Week 6:  The Miracles of Dancing - Tragedy almost ends the wedo's journey before it begins!
Week 7:  Show Time! - Performances galore - Shake it Big Wedo!
Week 8:  A Personal Introduction - Who is this Big Wedo guy anyway?
Week 9:  Three Challenges - Stand up straight fatty!  Are you paying attention wedo?
Week 10:  What Is Folk Dancing? - A raw look at true folk dancing.
Week 11:  I Believe In Herencia - Ballet Folklorico de Herencia Mexicana - dance with the wedo!
Week 12:  The Tale Of Two Chinas - Wedo says, "Help save the chinas everybody!"
Week 13:  Competition Movie Time! - Folklorico competitions and the Big Wedo movie!

There you have it, the journey thus far!  Another way of looking at it could be summed up like this:

"Guero, Wedo, Whetto, Huero, Weddo, Wedoh y folklorico!"  Tada!  That was simple!  Please keep spreading the word around about the blog and lets see how many join the journey with us.

I received a lot of feedback this week on my movie idea.  Wouldn't that be something if it actually happened?  I'm thinking it could be an epic trilogy.  The first movie in the series could be called "Folk Wars".  This would be the original folklorico battle between The Wedos and La Familia.  In a shocking judging decision, The Wedos take the victory!   Part two could be called "La Familia Strikes Back".  This would be a second competition where La Familia returns to take on The Wedos to reclaim their title as folklorico champions.  But don't fear, there's a part three!  "The Return of the Wedi"!  In this final chapter The Wedos return to take on La Familia in a third folklorico battle, only to be both disqualified and in an unexpected turn of events the victory goes to the new Masai Tribe Ballet Folklorico from Kenya & Tanzania!  I love it, let's start production!

Several people chimed in on the casting for the One Big Wedo movie.  In the vote between Vin Diesel and Kevin Spacey, Vin won!  However, a number of you told me that you imagined Will Ferrell in the role of the Big Wedo.  That works for me.  Shave his head and let's role tape!  Other cast recommendations included Danny Trejo, Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz.  Keep those ideas coming!

BREAKING THE LANGUAGE BARRIER - WEEK 14:

In a recent conversation someone asked me about the dancing.  Imagine that!  In the course of that discussion they made the comment, "Well that's good, you're learning the language."  In my response back I told them, "No, I still don't speak Spanish.  I just dance."  They replied, "That's what I meant, you're learning the language of dance!" 

There are several universal languages that break barriers.  Music, love and dance are three that come to my mind.  There are several others you could add to the list.  We communicate in many ways others than speaking.  Naturally, one would assume that if you're learning Mexican folk dancing that you would need to know Spanish.  Not so much!  Although it would be beneficial for someone to speak the language, it is not necessary.  I have learned from observing and listening to the sound of the steps as they are broken down.  Plus, it helps when teachers instruct in both Spanish and English.

When I first began in to learn the foundational steps of folklorico at the studio, Richard's assistant was teaching me.  She had me write down the Spanish terminology for the steps she was teaching me.  Some of the basic terms were:  remate, zapateado volado, cruzado, borracho, tornillos, huachapeado, zapateado, caretilla and tortilla.  Have fun trying to pronounce all of those!  Yes, I snuck tortilla in there.  I figure that I've eaten so many of them that I am carrying at least a couple of dozen around my waistline.  Doesn't that make them part of the dancing?  The tortilla jiggle!  How many of you are doing that dance with me?  Can I get a witness?  Now, for my own purposes I interpreted these terms into a type of morse code that I could understand.  For example, caretilla was translated as "flat, heel, flat, heel, flat, heel, flat..." and so on.  I really over simplified it because, as they say, "It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks."  This old dog is determined to learn these new tricks!

Of course, there are Spanish terms for all the different steps in folklorico dancing.  I'm not at the point in my dancing journey where I have the motivation and desire to learn all the technical terms.  Eventually I will get there.  Besides, everyone says I slaughter the language whenever I try to say anything Spanish anyway.  Not only am I trying to kill the "white gene" in my dancing, now I have to worry about my speaking too.  I'm a few weeks away from graduating Bible College, perhaps after that I'll sign up for a Spanish course.  I'll consider it.  Anyone up for the take of taming the wedo's tongue? 

As I started learning dances with choreography, I would sometimes write down the entire dance in my personal wedo-ised morse code.  Below are pictures of two of the dances I wrote out while I was learning them.  Some of my favorite words to use are:  flat, heel, toe, scuff, kick, tap, turn, stomp, left, right, accent, hop, shuffle, moonwalk, and drop it like it's hot.  Now that I have an iPhone with video capability, I prefer to video the dances I'm learning rather than write them out.  Also, I tend to do a lot of mental practicing in the car while driving.  I put on the song we're learning and I go over the steps and choreography in my head as I listen and drive.  Repetition is a good way of imprinting the dance in my brain; however, on occasion I've gotten so involved in my mental rehearsal that I missed my exit and drove half way back to Michigan practically before realizing where I was, or wasn't!  Another technique that works is speaking the code out loud while I'm dancing.  Sounds like another movie idea!  "The Folklorico Code"!

TIMING:

One aspect of the folklorico dance language is timing.  I have learned that Mexican timing is different than a wedo's timing.  Let me explain.  I find that Mexican, and other forms of Spanish, Latin, Hispanic, et cetra, music has a different feel and timing than other forms of music that are more common, perhaps, to white folks.  Therefore, the timing of the dance steps also has this feel to them.  It's unnatural to the wedo's internal clock.  I think you have to be surrounded by it from birth to get that sort of internal rhythm and feel naturally.  This wedo grew up in an environment free of Spanish music and influence, so this wedo is as stiff and uncoordinated as they get.  You have heard me mention before, I am working on "killing the white gene" of lack of coordination and lack of Spanish rhythm.  It has gotten better over time and with experience but that "gene" keeps trying to rear its ugly head from time to time and it has to be overcome and placed in submission.

I suppose I have a bit of an advantage learning these dances because I studied music in college.  However, the tricky syncopated and off beat rhythms can mess with you.  I've tried other forms of dancing like cumbia and salsa and I get all twisted up.  Better just stick with folklorico.  One thing that I've noticed in folklorico is the accent heel that is used almost all the time.  It's like a snap that help keep the tempo.  That's important because when your moving your feet a hundred miles a hour you can quickly get off beat.  Which brings up a good point, why does there have to be so many steps in so few beats?  Sometimes I feel like the it's a game to try to put as many different steps in a dance in as few beats as possible.  Here's 20 steps and movements you need to do in these next four beats that need to be executed crisply and gracefully with everyone in sync with each other!

Four toe taps, a turn to the left, four toe taps, turn to the right, hop, dip, skip three times, sway side to side, kiss the girl, turn twice, heel, hop, heel, hop, stomp, flat, toe, toe, do the splits, bake a cake, six jumping jacks, back flip, juggle, hop scotch, pose and smile!  Got all that?  Now you have 10 seconds to complete them.  On your mark.  Get Set. Go!  Now there's the "WOW" factor for you.  Aren't you impressed?  I counted 41 steps there, so I'll give you 20 seconds instead! Oh, and just one more thing to remember, "Never let them see you sweat!"

I use to watch a lot of those home design shows on television when I had my home decor store.  One show that I liked was a designer's challenge where they provided the designer with a very small space and then brought in a huge truckload of furniture and accessories and told the designer, "Ok, now make this all fit in that itty bitty space over there."  The designer's always met the challenge and came up with these unique and impressive spaces.  They used a technique called "intentional placement".  Everything has a place and everything is organized precisely to fit in its place.  That's how I feel about folklorico dancing. 

The best lesson in timing I learned early on was from a dancer named Jessica Ramos.  Jessica is an accomplished flamenco and folklorico dancer.  I performed Jarabe Tapitio with her for my first time ever.  We danced at Fiesta Mexicana restaurant with live mariachi.  Her timing was sensational and her experience dancing with live mariachi showed.  She danced as though she trusted them and she never stalled for a second.  I learned so much in those few minutes dancing with her.  Perfect timing.  Throwing caution to the wind, she danced with a sense of anticipation, not with aggression, resulting in a fluid movement in perfect unison with the music.  At one point we dance towards each other in a kicking motion.  As she charged towards me I recall thinking to myself, "OMG!  Here she comes!"

Something I've noticed about mariachi musicians is that they tend to play songs quicker when there are folklorico dancers performing.  Personally, I think they like to see the dancers pushed to their limits.  For skilled professional dancers it may not be a problem and it is exciting to see the rapid feet movement.  For me, I prefer consistency.  So when I practice to a particular version of a song at a particular tempo, I like to keep it there.  But all great dancers have to be flexible in both body and performing, so I will continue to kill the gene and step out of my comfort zone.  All I'm saying it's difficult for me to speed up when my internal clock is slowing down.

EXPRESS YOURSELF!

"Own it," that's some of the best advice I've gotten, "and remember, you are telling the story of the music through dance."  As I have discussed in some of my other posts already, many of the songs are based on folk tales and lore.  The dancing is a visual interpretation or representation of the tale.  These dances are layered.  The longer I dance them, the more details I pick up.  There are nuances and styling that take time to learn and implement.  I don't think you ever stop learning a dance, you just keep improving it and building upon what you've learned. 

Often when you begin to learn a dance, you learn the basic steps in lines and in place.  No, I'm not talking about country line dancing here, I'm talking about practice lines.  Then after the basics are established, you add choreography.  When you add movement to the steps, or travelling, they take on a different feel.  Yes, they are the same steps you were doing in place; however, with movement it sometimes feels like learning something completely new.  So I find that it is better to practice with movement so that the transition to choreography is not as huge of adjustment. 

There are many subtleties and detail I have yet to learn.  One thing I have observed is a particular shoulder action in the dances from the State of Jalisco.  I want to master that.  There is also foot placement.  I have noticed that more experienced skilled dancers place there feet certain ways on particular steps.  I want to learn that too and be consistent in doing it so that I can become a great dancer too.

Recently, I took a couple folklorico workshops that taught the region of Guerrero.  I will be blogging about the workshops in a future post.  But, since we are talking about communication and language, one thing I learned in the workshop is that the use of the bandanna is actually a tool of communication with your partner.  The male can instruct his partner with a flip of the wrist and tell her which way to travel.  No words, just body language.  Next time your at a show, look for the communication and how partners engage.  It adds a whole new level of appreciation. 

In closing, I think it is funny how two people can have a completely different idea or interpretation of the same word.  I've noticed that white folks and Mexicans have many different concepts of words and their meaning also.  So part of my journey has been growing in understanding that difference.  Richard has learned to speak "wedo" and I am learning, or at least attempting, to understand exactly what is meant.  Recently, I was executing a movement too rigidly.  Richard told me to be more "relaxed" with it because I looked like I was marching in a band.  Well, I took that as something other than his intent.  Then he changed his wording and said, "Make it 'softer'" and that got the result he was looking for.  It's all about communication.  Let's keep breaking those barriers and start building some bridges! 

That's all folks!  At least for this week.  If your not busy April 13th, come check out the show!  Until next week, wedo out!

Contact Information for "The Big Wedo":

Google E-mail: onebigwedo@gmail.com
Facebook: One Big Wedo (Guero)
Twitter: Michael Smith @onebigwedo
Blogger: www.onebigwedo.blogspot.com

Contact Information for Ballet Folklorico de Herencia Mexicana:

Richard Solorzano, Director: (909) 201-1957
Facebook: Herencia Mexicana
E-Mail: Bf_herencia_mexicana@yahoo.com

Duarte Studio Practices:
Herencia Mexicana practices on Saturdays from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Please call before coming!

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one! Herencia Mexicana practices in Duarte, California. Folklorico lessons and performances are both available. Herencia Mexicana performs for private & public events of all kinds. Book your event today! Herencia Mexicana welcomes new students. No previous folklorico or dance experience required. All are welcome.