Why A Blog? - Week 32

Hello Everyone!  It never ceases to amaze me how things just sort of happen randomly and without anticipation or expectation.  Oftentimes, I'll write a post and think, "Yeah, this is one that people are gonna read!" only to later discover it really wasn't much of a hit.  Then there are those that surprise you, like last week's post!  I'm shocked honestly, it soared right up the reading charts and is in the top two all time most read One Big Wedo posts.  Didn't think that would happen.  It could possibly take the #1 spot by the end of the week, over taking week 16's "Heart & Sol".  Wow!  Now let's see if this week's post nosedives right to the bottom!  Here we go!

Why A Blog?
 

So why did I decide to write a blog about my experience of folklorico dancing?  How did this really all come about?  This week I'm going to share with readers all about the blog.
 

Several years before I ever started dancing, I had a desire to blog but never acted upon it.  I tossed around ideas for a blog in my head and would contemplate what I would say and how.  I had lots of concepts, one idea was to write a blog called "My Transparent Reality".  Then I realized that there was a whole Social Network called Facebook that did that for people already.  Next!  From there I went to an idea of one called "The Bartending Pastor".  This blog would be my experience of learning to bartend and my interactions with customers, where in during the course of my listening to their drunken problems, I would utilize my Biblical Counseling classes from Bible College to direct people on a path to resolve their problems.  Of course using Jesus as my example as He was the first, turning water into wine.
 

Other ideas entertained included a blog of American diners that I've eaten breakfast at, a random picture of the day blog, famous quotes blog, drink of the day blog and so on.  There were many others considered as well.  All remained ideas however and are already commonly captured on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  So I put the whole blog idea to rest.
 

I never considered myself much of a writer.  I've always been a fairly decent student though, at least in my opinion.  At Wheaton, I took an English Literature class.  For the final, we had to write a paper on a piece of American poetry.  My poem was assigned and I poured myself into my final paper.  I thought I had written a paper with major insight!  When I received my paper back, there on the top in big red ink was the letter "F" and a note from the professor, "Call Me".  I was so disappointed.  When I called, she told me that there was just no way possible to give a grade anything but, I had missed the point entirely.  Years later, I went back to college again, this time Bible College.  I took a class called Eschatology.  Part of the class curriculum included debating secular world viewpoints and Biblical world viewpoints.  To make a long story short, an assignment was given to write a paper on a controversial subject in society and present both viewpoints.  I wrote the paper and this time when I got it back there on the top of the page was an "A" and a note from the professor that said, "Wow! You could be a journalist!"  Me? Really?  Well, perhaps someday I will give it a try!

One day while I was out shopping at a thrift store, I was looking through some DVDs they had for sale.  I came across a movie called Julie & Julia.  I didn't know anything about the movie but I bought it because it had Meryl Streep in it.  I took it  home put it away and there it sat for months.
 

Some time later, a fellow coworker and friend of mine told me about a blog he and his wife had started about Bible prophecy.  They were having some success with it.  What struck me most was that he said it was free to have a blog on a site called Blogger.  I like free.  That was something that fit my budget!
 

Then one day in the fall of last year, I found myself at home with nothing to do.  So, I took out the DVD and put it on.  The true story held my attention.  If your not familiar with the story, it's a movie about Julie Powell who wrote a blog about her experience cooking all the recipes in the Julia Child cookbook.  In fact, you can find the blog on Blogger,  This of course triggered my thinking once again.  For the next several weeks I mulled over what I could write about that people might find interesting about me.  What made me unique and interesting?  Hmmm!
 

I remember a documentary that I saw on tv once about a reporter who would travel around America to random cities, pull out a phone book, open it up and point on a name.  Whatever name was there, he would call and arrange to tell their story in a documentary.   Another similar story I heard about, was a wealthy man who like to sculpt miniature clay figures.  He would travel around the world to famous landmarks and hide these little clay critters at his destination.  In fact, he became so well known for doing it, that they developed a line of clay critters for a retail collectible market based off him, which I sold in my shops back in the day.  What could I do like that I pondered?  I know I'll travel around to various cities across America, put on one of my folklorico costumes and with boom box in hand (yes, I love the 80's) go into a public park or area and dance, taking pictures with people and then blog about them and the experience of it all.  It was an interesting concept but I had one major problem - I'm broke and I work.  I love to travel but that would've require some serious funds.
 

The year was reaching near the end and I continued to struggle with what made me so different and that no one was already writing about.  Then a Mexican themed social media site posted some photos of folklorico dancing and there I was!  I came across them by accident and I was like wow, I made it on Mexican media!  Don't they know I'm white?  I was always worried that if I danced poorly that perhaps it would be perceived as mockery or insult if they knew.  I wanted to be incognito!  Dancers use to tell me don't worry, you could pass for someone from Jalisco, just keep your mouth shut.  I knew I wasn't the first white person to dance folklorico.  I had seen a couple performances with white folks in them.  Even a well respected Mexican dancer also had told me that the man who taught him to dance folklorico was white.  So I knew there were others.  But no one was writing about their experience and perception of it.  Sounds like an opportunity.

By the way, I've met others wedos out there during the course of this journey too.  One was a mariachi that performs all over, singing in Spanish, yet he himself does not speak the language.
 

2013 arrived and one of my goals for the new year was to write the blog.  So that's what I did.  I just stepped out and created a Google profile and established a blog on Blogger.  And here you are reading it!  I set a goal of 52 weeks, which would include my personal experience of folklorico dancing, my perspective, perception and analysis, basic Mexican and folkorico information and facts. Perhaps reaching someone and creating some interest in dancing or attending a show.  The blog has also succeeded in provoking thought, venting frustrations and give the account of whatever I was going through at the moment.  The blog consists of a little bit of my life, humor and bizarre pop culture ideas.  I figured that if anything, I would have a unique account of my folklorico experience in journal form, even if no one read it, that I could print off and keep at the end.  I am a sentimental person.  Plus, this would be a learning experience for me and help me learn more about the history and terminology of folklorico, as well as serve as some self encouragement.
 

I didn't anticipate anyone in the folklorico community reading it or even being interested in it.  I thought it would reach people in general who just like to read about different topics, who might like to know what the experience entailed for me.  People find it interesting to read about other peoples lives.  I thought perhaps it would help people in the USA to learn a little about our neighbors and assist in developing an appreciation and understanding of the art.  

People actually read the first post!  I was shocked.  People from around the world in fact!  I just kept on doing it.  One day a fellow folklorico dancer made a comment to me, "I saw your blog.  I like it. You are brave and I'm proud of you". Brave?  I had to ask why he thought that and he told me, "I would never put myself out there like that."  

I never thought of myself as being brave.  Growing up in Michigan, I was raised with the belief that you really could be anything you wanted to be in life or do anything in life.  All you has to do was just do it.  You want to be a business person Michael, then be one.  You want to be a singer, then sing.  If you want to write, if you write it they will read!  I think the success I've had in life comes from being a bit clueless and not being told what the right way of going about it.  For example, when I opened my retail business years ago, everyone said that I went about starting it all wrong and backwards!  Yet, I was successful for a season at it.  Then the economy tanked.  The secret to my success has been not knowing the secrets of other people's success.  I did it my way.
 

Other folklorico dancers also commented to me that they had discovered the blog and found it funny. Oh my!  I started to get feedback from people as well - both positive and negative.  I welcome it all. A friend of mine, an avid reader, happen to read the blog and one day we started to discuss it.  I shared with her some of the harsh remarks about it I had received.  She told me just to stick with it and write it my way regardless because that's what people want to read about.  Tell your story.  Other people started reading the blog also.  It appears that it is serving the purposes I intended it to as several have commented to me that they did learn some things from it and that they want to continue to do so!  That's good news!

As I've shared before, I write these during my breaks and lunches at my industrial job in a warehouse. Every week presents its share of challenges.  Overall, the blog has turned into a much bigger undertaking than I originally thought it would.  I have stacks of Post It Notes and scrap paper with all kinds of chicken scratch on them from writing down ideas and what not for the blog.  I committed to one post per a week and there is only so much editing and perfecting you can do because by Sunday morning it's time to publish.  Regardless if your ready or not!  The pressure is always on as the weekend approaches.  This week the punctuation police hit me up saying my blog was "painful to read" with all my comma violations.  I told them, don't read it then - you're missing the point!  I do my best.
 

I've enjoyed the whole blogging experience overall.  It's been almost as fun writing about the dancing, as dancing itself.  I have gone back and read my own blog postings.  I do it from time to time.  Sometimes it feels like an out of body experience.  At times, I stop and ask myself why did you write that and I have to reflect upon what was happening at that moment in time.  I will say that some of my perceptions, analysis and perspectives have changed a little over time on some of the stuff I've written.  I would agree some of the posts are better than others, more interesting over others, and better written than others.  Some I would write differently today.  There has been the temptation to go and delete some of them, but that would defeat the overall idea of a blog.  People that follow me can see through my writings the growth and progress.  

A few years ago I had an opportunity to sit in on a conference where best selling author Ann Kiemel spoke.  In fact, she has a blog here on Blogger as well!  She shared the story of her first book she ever wrote.  Only she can tell the story with all the humor and specifics.  But the whole gist of it was that when she wrote her first book, she told her publisher not to advertise it, just put it out there.  She said it was a pathetic little thing and she hoped it would just die.  People discovered  the book, connected with it and it became the best selling book that publisher ever printed.  Sometimes I feel the same way about my posts - unsure and hope they just die!  So there you learn a little about me, I believe that I can do anything, just do it but I'm uncertain about it the whole time - yet I won't quit either!
 

It's time to wrap this all up, I've said plenty already.  Some of you think I think too much and my posts are too long.  Anyway, in closing, I want to express that there is an incredible opportunity out there for folklorico people to write blogs, articles and the sort about folklorico.  There is much, much more written in Spanish than English about the subject, for obvious reasons.  There needs to be more in English.  I've seen a couple other blogs about folklorico out there, usually quoting the same resources I have in mine.  The information is limited.  And if your like me, don't speak or read Spanish, the resources are much more limited.  So someone could step up and translate the existing publications into English or write a new blog in English as well.  

Case in point, one of the feedback comments from last week states that I failed to mention Marcelo Torreblanca in my post.  He is considered by many as the "father of what we now know as danza Folklorica".  When I looked him up on the web, some articles in Spanish appeared to come up.  I did not find anything on him in English.  Sounds like an opportunity for someone to document his work in English.  I have to be honest, I have never heard of the man.  Several dancers I inquired of hadn't either.  

Some other feedback from last weeks post was about my "king and queen" comment.  I meant no offense by it.  There is an abundance written about the two from last week in English and everyone I've talked with knew of them well, hence my reason for labeling them the king and queen.  Don't know what I'm referring to?  Read last weeks post!  Didn't anticipate it being such a controversial statement, but many hit me up about it!  I said it based on my deduction that if there an abundance written about them, then they must be the most popular and known for it - the king and queen.  If that's not the case then something needs to be done, written, to change the perception!  

That being said, I am inviting some folks to be guest bloggers on my site!  In addition to my weekly posts and bonus posts, I want to start having special guest posts too!  Who wants to write one?  Hit me up.

Lastly, the blog had some newcomers this week!  Welcome Kenya, Nigeria and Sri Lanka!  Glad to know people everywhere are interest in folklorico dancing!  The blog also reached over 4000 pageviews this!  People are reading!  I also received six logo contest entries this week!  I'm sharing them on my Facebook page, so drop by One Big Wedo on Facebook, like me and check them out! You have until August 31, 2013 to submit yours for a chance to win $100.  

Always open to suggestions and feedback.  If you read something that needs clarification or you have a question about, please drop me an email. 

Stay Strong & Write On!  Wedo out, yo!

****ATTENTION ALL BIG WEDO FANS & FOLLOWERS:  MARK YOUR CALENDARS - SEPTEMBER 29, 2013 - HERENCIA MEXICANA WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE LA COUNTY FAIR.  THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA TO COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!  MEET THE WEDO!  LET'S PACK THE PLAZA AND SET RECORD ATTENDANCE FOR THE SHOW!  HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE!  PLAZA DE LAS AMERICAS FROM 1:30 TO 2:00 PM****


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

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one!  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.

Who Am I? A Personal Introduction - Week 8

Welcome Venezuela!  Thanks for reading!  Here it is week 8 already!  Two months down!  Time flies when you're having fun!  It was brought to my attention that I never formally/personally introduced myself to my readers.  That's about to change!  Here's everything you may, or may not, have ever wanted to know about the "big wedo."  Welcome to Wedo Smith 101.

I was born August 15, 1974 in Lakeview, Michigan.  My parents, Leslie & Rosemary Smith, named me Michael Dale Smith.  I am the youngest of five children, the baby of the family, and the self acclaimed favorite.  I have two sisters and two brothers.  The middle brother passed at birth.  All of my siblings are married with children.  My father held many positions in his lifetime including:  Nuclear Engineer, Post Master, Pastor and Book Keeper.  My mother stayed home to raise the children and take care of the home.  They are retired now and enjoy their time between their residences in Michigan and Florida.  They are snow birds.  They are the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren. 

During my childhood, we lived in the parsonage on the Church camping grounds.  Read more on that in week six's blog post, "The Miracles of Dancing."  In the third grade, we moved from Six Lakes, Michigan to Clarksville, Michigan.  I went to Clarksville Elementary through Sixth grade.  Then it was off to Lakewood Junior High for Seventh and Eighth grades.  I finished up at Lakewood High School and graduated in 1992 at the age of 17.  After High School I went of to study Vocal Performance at Wheaton College & Conservatory of Music in Wheaton, Illinois.  I left Wheaton in 1994 to pursue life's adventures and briefly took classes at Mount Hope Bible Training Institute and Grand Rapids Community College.  In June of 1995, I moved to California where I have been living ever since.  In the January 2010 I enrolled into classes at the Rock Bible College and graduated in 2011.  In the fall of 2012, I enrolled into ISOM (International School Of Ministry) and will be graduating in Spring 2013.

As far as employment is concerned, I had my first jobs in the Sixth grade.  I would stay after school and help the janitor with assorted duties, such as emptying trash cans, for $1.00 a day!  That only lasted for a couple weeks before I was offered a paper route in Clarksville, Michigan delivering The Grand Rapids Press newspaper.  I delivered those newspapers until I graduated high school.  I received the honor of being the paper carrier of the week!  They printed a short article about me with one of the ugliest photos I've ever taken.  In addition to the paper route, I mowed lawns.  When I was old enough to get my worker's permit, I started working at McDonald's.  I worked for five different McDonald's Restaurant locations, off and on, over a five year period. 

While at Wheaton, I worked in their Alumni call center requesting financial contributions for campus projects from alumni and friends of the college.  One summer break, I performed janitorial tasks for the Clarksville Post Office including painting the interior of the building and waxing the floors.  After Wheaton, I worked for Chuck E. Cheese's and a Christian bookstore/Hallmark before moving to Detroit, Michigan.  In Detroit, I worked for a chocolate company both in retail and production of chocolate products (call me Willy Wonka), The Fisher Theater on their ushering staff and as an assistant manager at Little Caesar's Pizza. 

Then in 1995 I moved to California.  My first job in California was working for Castle Park Amusement Park in Riverside, California.  I continued interviewing and testing for jobs and I landed a position at Smith & Noble catalog window treatments company located in Corona, California where I worked in the call center answering phones, as a filing clerk and in their swatch sample department.  While there I started a business with a friend in Beanie Babies and teddy bears.  We opened a store in Rancho Cucamonga called BearsBears & Collectibles.  I left Smith & Noble in 1998 to pursue a career with Toyota Motor Sales USA working in their North American Parts Center warehouse, where I have been employed ever since.  I will be celebrating 15 years of service there in September.

BearBears & Collectibles closed in 2000.  But I enjoyed having my own business in addition to my everyday job.  Guess that makes me an entrepreneur.  In the early 2000's, I started a mobile DJ Company called All Star DJ's.  That lasted a while until I got the urge to open another store.  In 2005, I opened What A Deal gift and home decor specialty shop in Rancho Cucamonga.  What A Deal moved to Upland, California in 2008 and lasted there until 2010.  When the economy crashed, so did our clientele and the business closed.  Thank goodness I've had a stable job all along!  I would like to have another business again sometime in the future. 

Sounds busy, but as I have said before I like variety and trying new things.  On a more personal note, I enjoy music of all kinds and theater.  I played the french horn in high school and was in the concert band, marching band and jazz band.  I was drum major for one year.  I also enjoyed singing and was in the concert choir, men's chorus, show choir, barbershop quartet, musical theater and children's theater.  In college, I sang in the concert choir and opera workshop.  I also took piano lessons both as a child and in college, but I am not a pianist!  I received several metals and awards for music.  Even a few scholarships.

Some of my other interests include travelling, shopping, church, and movies.  I use to enjoy collecting antiques and things, but had to stop because I was becoming a hoarder!  I enjoy theater and have had the privilege of seeing several stage productions and Cirque du Soliel shows.  I also enjoy concerts and have seen Beyonce, Natalie Cole, Janet Jackson, Elton John, Prince, Cher, Madonna and many others.  I like adventure and enjoy activities like zip lining, roller coasters and parasailing.  Gosh, sounds like I am writing a dating profile!

Anyway, enough about me already!  Let's wrap this up for this week by talking about the dancing!  The dancing is a nice addition to my list of life experiences, which there are many!  You've gotten a small sampling here.  It's amazing to me how many experiences a person can have in their lifetime.  I may not be the best dancer, but I'm getting better everyday.  I hope that this dance experience is not just another fleeting hobby.  I take it seriously.  I'm catching on to folklorico dancing, however, other styles of dancing like Cumbia and Salsa make me feel all uncoordinated and white, which I am so that's alright!  I get so twisted around.  There you have it Wedo Smith 101!  I'm a real winner!  Hope you enjoyed it and that you got a snap shot of who I am.  Until next Sunday.......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

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one!  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.

The Miracles of Dancing - Week 6

Welcome Poland!  Thank you for joining the journey!  To date, I have had readership from Croatia, Germany, Malaysia, Poland, South Korea, The United Kingdom and The USA!  A world tour is shaping up nicely.   Hint, hint!  I can hardly believe it.  Where are my readers from Australia, Canada, China, India, Mexico and Russia?  I hope to reach the entire globe.  Every Nation!  There's still time - 46 weeks left.

I want to take a moment to thank Multicultural California for the generous comments about my blog on Facebook.  I appreciate your perspective and encouragement.  Well stated.  I advise everyone reading to visit the Multicultural California page on Facebook and check out the posting on their timeline.  Multicultural California supports the arts by video documenting and photographing various dancing forms from around the globe.  The photos and videos can be found on You Tube and Facebook.  Check them out!  Also, this week's wedo word spelling comes from your comments:  Wero!  A fine addition to the ever growing list! 

In a rush to publish my blog last Sunday before everyone got involved with the Super Bowl, my proof reading lapsed and there were a few grammar and spelling errors.  Oops, apparently the wedo doesn't know English well either!  My apologies.  I corrected them on Monday and updated the blog.  I tried to let them slide and was going to make it a game of sorts for my readers to try to find as many errors as possible, but it kept eating at me.  So I fixed 'em.  However, I'm sure there are still many, many errors in my writing and hope you are reading my blog for the entertainment and informational value and not for it's superb literary writing.  I need an editor!  I am guilty of being a perfectionist.  "Michael, you are so hard on yourself," my friends always say.  Guilty!  I drive myself nuts! 

For all the Super Bowl fans who saw my Super Bowl winner prediction on Facebook, that the 49ers were going to win, I'm sorry.  I'm not a psychic!  I will just stick with the folklorico dancing and refrain from making anymore predictions.  I've had people tell me that they weren't going to follow my blog anymore due to the false prediction!  Wow, get a life!  Here I went to all that trouble to cause a power outage at the big game, just so you could take a few minutes and read my new post!  So unappreciated!  No more favors for you!  You have no idea how difficult it was to pull that off!

In other news, I accomplished something this week that I never intended or set out to do in life!  I am officially accused of being a "cyber stalker!"  This one blew me away.  Twitter suspended my account because apparently too many of their users blocked me or labelled my tweets as spam.  This flagged my account.  I was shocked because I only have five followers on Twitter.  I'm new to Twitter and the only reason I got an account was to develop an audience for the blog.  To my surprise, Twitter feels I am harassing their members.  OMG!  Really? 

Perhaps I am missing the whole Twitter concept here.  People write posts and include hash marks for key words should anyone search for the topic they are writing about.  So I searched for "folklorico" and several tweets came up by users with that interest.  I selected to "follow" these people, that share the common interest of folklorico, in hopes they might take an interest in me and follow me too.  That makes me a stalker?  Am I mistaken here?  Isn't the whole premise of Twitter to "follow" people?  The term "follow" is stalker-ish in itself.  I am befuddled.  How embarrassing for following people and getting kicked off a site that dedicated to following people. 

I had to agree to a bunch of terms and conditions and they un-suspended my account with a warning that I needed to discontinue my bad behavior or I will be permanently banned from the site.  The folklorico dancing wedo is a danger to Internet society!  I promptly un-followed everyone that I was following.  Bottom line here is, you can still follow me on Twitter, but I won't be following anyone.  Hopefully those that would have an interest in this blog will find me.  Your help in sharing my posts and spreading the word is more important than ever! 

Lastly, it was brought to my attention this week that I talk about Richard a lot in this blog, which is to be about me and my experience.  Truth is without Richard there would be no folklorico wedo or a blog for that matter.  Richard taught me everything I know about folklorico.  He has been by my side throughout the entire journey.  Therefore, I will be talking about him.  He is part of every chapter of my story, but I would only be a paragraph or two in his.  He is the real deal.  He has lived a folklorico dancing life.  A future project that I would like to do is write his biography and the history of Herencia Mexicana.  He has a truly amazing story to share.

The Miracles of Dancing

As you already know, I grew up in Michigan.  The good old Midwest.  My father was a minister.  He was a pastor of the United Methodist Church for a time.  The church owned a campground and we lived in the parsonage there on the property.  My parents also ran and maintained the grounds.  My father had a big tractor that he used to do many of the assorted tasks that needed to be performed.  In the fall of 1978, August to be exact, my father hitched up a semi truck flat bed trailer on the back of the tractor.  It was time to prepare for the winter snowfall.  There were many picnic tables on the grounds.  The tables had metal legs on them that would rust from the water and snow.  To avoid the rust, every fall the tables were collected and stored under a pavilion.  It was table harvest time.

It was a week before my fourth birthday.  A friend of my father's came to help with loading up the tables onto the flat bed trailer to be taken and stored.  I decided to tag along for the days work.  In the front of the large industrial farm tractor was a hug scoop which was used for dirt removal, digging and/or plowing snow.  That day I was riding along in the scoop of the tractor while the adult men did their work.  I was dragging my feet and we moved along.  Sure enough, I fell out of the scoop and under the tractor I went.  Unfortunately, my father did not see this happen as he was looking back at the trailer.  All I remember was the bone crushing pressure as the front tires went across my body.  It knock the wind out of me and I couldn't even cry out for help.  The terrain was bumpy and it was common to jerk around while driving.  My father thought nothing of the little bump and continued onward.  Then came the large rear wheel of the tractor and underneath I went.  This time the tractor had some difficulty making it over and I remember it kind of stopping on top of me briefly before spitting me out behind.  Then, horror set in as my father realized what had happened.


I remember my father jumping off the tractor in panic and fear and rushed over to my limp body.  He picked me up and ran to the parsonage calling for my mother.  My mother came running out of the house and my father passed me off to her and they jumped into the Suburban truck to rush me to the hospital.  Indeed, there was comfort in mother's arms.  As we went to the hospital I told my mom, "Look!"  My arm had a gash on it where the flesh had been ripped away and was bleeding.  I remember mom putting a paper towel on it.  We arrived at the hospital where the emergency staff were waiting and ready.  They took me in and laid me on a cold metal table.  They removed my clothes and gave me a catheter.  What exactly happened after that I do not recall.  All I can say is, "Ouch!"  It was a horribly traumatic event.

For the next several months I was in the hospital.  I had broken my pelvis and sustained multiple injuries.  I was the only child in the area of the children's wing where I was recovering.  One day a lady from the church came and visited me.  She must have sensed I was bored out of my mind because she went home and made several stuff animal toys for me.  One was a big hippo and another was a yellow bird.  I also had a Rocky & Bullwinkle coloring book.  I made a full recovery and the hospital called me "The Miracle Boy."  Throughout the rest of my childhood my mother continued to call me her "Little Miracle Boy."  On the day I left the hospital, one of the nursing staff asked me if I would like to leave my coloring book so other children that came would have something to do.  I told them, "NO!"  What a brat!  After all that, I hadn't lost my spunk!


The photos above are not of the actual tractor, but they will give you an idea of what I'm talking about and the size.  In 1983, my family moved away from the camp leaving the tractor behind.  I took only the memory of it and the events affiliated with it, with me.  I was in the 3rd grade.  If you have ever seen the movie, Faith Like Potatoes, there is a scene where a child falls off a tractor and gets run over and is killed. It's based on a true story.  Later in life, I watched this movie with my parents.  When it came to this scene, you could read their faces which reflected the pain and fear they experienced earlier in life.  Life had moved on but the memories remain.

I believe in miracles.  Do you?  Let me count the miracles from just this single incident.

1.)  I got ran over by a farm tractor and lived to tell about it. 
2.)  The front tires and the rear tire both ran over my mid section.  The rear tire should have crushed my head.
3.)  I made a full recovery and could walk.
4.)  Not only could I walk, but 33 years later I started to dance folklorico.
5.)  God worked a miracle in my life and blessed me with gifts.  Those gifts are life and folklorico.  God always gives the best gifts!

What miracles do you count?

I have a melancholy personality.  Ya Think!  In the summer of 2011 when this whole journey began, I was in sad shape - emotionally, socially and physically.  I had gone through a stressful and rough two years for many reasons.  I became very down and depressed.  Dancing folklorico has been a form of therapy for me and has helped me pull my life back together.  Not only is it a miracle that I can dance at all, but God used folklorico to work a miracle in me as well.  It wasn't anything that I anticipated in life.  I'm actually quite surprised.  But I am grateful.

Be sure to check back Sunday for new big wedo posting.  Next week I'm sharing the first dance performance and you won't want to miss that!

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

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one!  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.

What To Wear? - Week 5

Hello Everyone!  Thank you for all of your support by reading my blog and sharing in my journey.  A special shout out to my new followers this week from Germany and The United Kingdom, it is nice to have you as part of my blogging history.  Who knows, perhaps I'll go on a world tour to the countries with readership after I conclude my blog.  That would be fun!  In fact, I'll promise to do it if anyone wants to fully sponsor such a thing - "The Herencia Mexicana World Tour 2014" featuring the "One Big Wedo!"  Any takers?  Shoot, I'll even settle for a national tour!  But in order to do so, I need to know what States you all are from.  So go now, yes right now, to my Facebook page, One Big Wedo, and "like" it so I know where you're all from.  Part of the enjoyment for me in this is to meet my readers.  If you don't have a Facebook, create one!  Its free and easy.  If you've already "liked" me, then just keep on reading, reading, reading!

I am getting your feedback.  Thank you.  If you're having difficulty leaving a comment on this page, you can e-mail me directly at onebigwedo@gmail.com or you can follow me on Facebook by clicking "like" on my page:  One Big Wedo (Guero).  If you've been reading from the beginning of this post, then you should have already done this!  And for those of you Twitterers out there, you can get my tweets by following me on Twitter:  Michael Smith @onebigwedo.  Hope to hear from you soon.  If you have enjoyed reading my posts, please share them with your friends and family.  I appreciate your recommendations and helping a wedo out to spread the word out there.  It has been fun for me to write them.  This week I added some new features to my blog page layout, you can now follow me via your email or on Google+.  I also added an option to translate the blog into other languages, although I'm not sure if the humor will come across.  I'm also taking a survey poll.  Just look for the new features along the top, bottom and side of the page layout.

Want to see me dance?  You can!  Just head over to YouTube and search for "Herencia Riverside."  Two videos should pop up that are on the "folkloricochannel".  Or you can try these links I have provided here:  http://youtu.be/yY5ovh9y-3M and http://youtu.be/rOTE8CLTZ4M .  The first song is called La Dificultosa and the second is called La Jesusita.  This was a performance last December at the Festival of Lights in the beautiful Mission Inn District in downtown Riverside, California.  I learned those two dances in a week!  The week before the show to be exact.  Not too shabby!  I hope you enjoy them.

This week a funny thing happened to me, which is not all that unusual.  A man ask me if my middle name was "wedo" because they call me "the wedo."  Come on people, really?  Are we just not getting it?  So now my name is Michael Wedo Smith!  My mom and pops may take issue with that because they named me Michael Dale Smith.  Regardless, I thought it was funny.  I guess it was in my destiny to entertain, better to be a folklorico dancer than a Chippen-Dale!  Trust me, no one wants to see that!  And to top it off,  a friend called me a "weeeee-doh", instead of "whedo" this week.  I thought I was the only one who had trouble saying those Spanish words.  I am frequently told, "Michael your Spanish is painful to my ears."  I'm sorry, its my Michigan accent, don't cha know?  Enough already!  Let's get going!

For Christmas 2011, Richard gave me a Chihuahua suit.  Now, up to that point, I hadn't even started learning the region of Chihuahua.  He was planting the seed.  He was tapping into my addiction of clothing and accessorizing in hopes of provoking me to keep dancing.  It was as if he was conducting some sort of great Freudian experiment to see what the wedo would do.  It worked because it motivated me to continue onward.  In those moments when I was ready to quit, all I could think of was, "what a waste of a costume, you better make this happen."  If you watch the videos that I recommended above, you will see me in that Chihuahua suit. 

In the early months of 2012, we took a trip to El Mercado in East Los Angeles to find him a new hat for Vera Cruz.  His had seen better days.  We didn't find that hat he needed, but Richard bought me a camisa guayabera, a white shirt worn for the region of Vera Cruz.  They had one that fit me!  Let's take pause here to clarify this word guayabera.  Yes, it's another Spanish word that is spelled nothing like it sounds.  I pronounce and spell it, "Why-a-vetta."  It's kind of a fun word to say.  Practice saying it, Why-A-Vetta.  No men, it's not "buy-a-vetta," it's "why-a-vetta."  No showing up in the driveway at your home with a new Corvette and telling the wife that "the wedo made you do it."  And for you fish enthusiasts, it's not "buy-a -betta" either.  Wasn't that random?  To have some fun with it, try saying, "wedos wearing white whyavettas while wowing wiggling watchers watch wonderful workmanship!" 10 times fast.  Come on, just try it!  I told you it was a fun word!

Afterwards, we headed over to Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles to continue the hunt for a Vera Cruz hat.  For those of you reading that are not familiar with the Los Angeles area, Olvera Street is a historical area downtown that is rich with Mexican heritage and tourism.  It is the local Mexican mecca, complete with restaurants, shopping and an area for dance where you commonly see Folklorico and Azteca dances being performed.  There you will find El Pueblo de Los Angeles monument.  You will also find a wedo eating a hot dog and being harassed by his friends for eating a hot dog instead of some local Mexican food.  That wedo would be me.  I'm sorry, the hot dogs are delicious down town.  I'm honored they thought of me when they wrote the menu.  I just look for the Gringo Specials.  I need to focus, let's get back on track.

Not only did we find the hat for Richard, we found a hat for me and a pair of white pantalones and a nice red silk hanker chief.  I made out!  We found a black sombrero that fit my big head, so I picked that up too.  Richard was buying some fans from Spain for his lady dancers and came across two nice men's ties worn with the charro suit.  He picked those up for us as well.  It was a shopping frenzy.  I love those days.  The costumes were coming along nicely.  I got back home and bought a pair of white folklorico boots and my Vera Cruz costume was complete.  If you visit my page on Facebook, you will see a couple of photos of me in my Vera Cruz costume.   

Some time later, on a Sunday, we took another trip to downtown Los Angeles to The House of Mariachi, a local business that is well known for their excellence in quality charro suits.  Many famous musicians use them for their performing costumes.  Across the street you will find the famous Mariachi Plaza Gazebo, where local mariachis stand and wait for daily work.  I was fitted for my charro suit that day.  A couple weeks later, I went back for my final fitting and brought it home.  Check out my picture of the fitting below.  The staff there was amused with me.  A non-Spanish speaking white man that dances folklorico.  Interesting.  Good thing I had Richard there to translate and communicate for me.

A charro suit is what is worn for the region of Jalisco.  You have probably seen mariachi musicians wear them.  Jalisco is the birthplace of the mariachi music, so it makes sense.  They are tight and we get to dance in them.  Eat your heart out!  One of my favorite things to do after a performance is to go out among the audience and hand out business cards in my charro suit.  The ladies love it and always want their picture taken with the man in the fitted suit.  In Mexican culture, seeing a man in a charro suit is like seeing a man in a military uniform in American culture.  It is given respect.  The last photo below is of Richard and I at my first performance, which I will be addressing in a future blog post. 

As I have learned dances from other regions, the costume collection has grown.  They are like medals of honor, representing another dance learned from a new region that is about to go on stage.  Other times they represent hope, a goal set in anticipation of one day performing the region.  I want to collect them all and have one in every color.  I'm up to five now!

In addition to gathering my costumes, I have had the unique opportunity to travel with Richard and assist in getting the costumes for the dance group.  In Richard's group, Herencia Mexicana, the costumes are provided for the members who perform on stage.  This is a huge benefit because most groups have the students pay for their own costumes, which can get very costly.  Some of the dresses for the women can run upwards of $500 or more for just one region.  If you're dancing 3 to 5 regions in a show, well, you can do the math.  So by providing the costumes, Richard makes it possible for everyone to participate.  Richard doesn't spare any expense when it comes to the costumes.  He likes the best.  He always says, "You only have one chance to make that first impression."

There are standard generic costumes available on the market, but most of Richard's are custom made.  He has his own seamstresses.  Each region has a base costume look that is required.  Typically, most folklorico groups that custom make their costumes build upon that base and do something to make it their own signature outfit by design, all while remaining true to the region.  For example, some may use a particular type of lace or ribbon in their costume.  There is some flexibility as long as you keep within the rules of the region and don't go overboard.  No modifying a full length skirt to a mini.  That's a no no.  Groups take great pride in their signature costumes.  It give them a sense of ownership and uniqueness on the stage.  And it can lead to a lot of dance drama if a group steals another group's look or costume design. 

Richard and I have made numerous trips to L.A.'s fabric and garment district looking for that perfect material, ribbon, lace and trim for the dresses.  Then there are the hair pieces for the women.  Custom braids with ribbon and/or flowers.  Then there's the jewelry.  Lots of details and it never ends.  Thank God I'm a man!  It's not as complicated.  So there it is, What To Wear?  Well, that all depends on what region you're dancing.  Hope you enjoyed it.

In closing, anyone interested in Herencia Mexicana is encouraged to check out their Facebook page and friend request them.  Also, if you are in the Los Angeles or Inland Empire area and want to learn to dance folklorico or to book Herencia Mexicana to perform at your next event, contact Richard Solorzano at (909) 201-1957.  Later peeps, 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

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one!  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.

History In The Making! - Week 4

When I joined Herencia Mexicana and began going to the practices to learn to dance, I told Richard that my goal was to be the best 37 year old, white male folklorico dancer that had no real previous dance training.  Which kind of put me in my own category.  I have no idea how many 37 year old, white men have started dancing folklorico one day just out of the blue like that.  Perhaps I'm the only one.  It's true that there have been many talented white men and women to dance and teach folklorico, or so I have been told.  It's not that hard to believe, especially with so many folklorico dance groups out there.  I'm not the first and I won't be the last!

I believe my goal is a realistic and a healthy one.  To be the best at what I have learned at my age.  It is flattering when people ask if I am dancing professionally, but the answer is no, I am an amateur and a student who performs.  A beginner!  I am far from being a professional.  From the get go, I have taken my dancing very seriously.  I want to be a good dancer, a great performer and learn as much as I can about folklorico dancing.  I want to make the dance group and the director proud.  My fear all along has been looking foolish on the stage, to disgrace the art, and/or to come across as disrespecting the culture or making a mockery of it.  I don't want to embarrass myself, the group or Richard.

I grew up in the farmland of Michigan.  The area I grew up in was rural to say the least.  My mother exposed me to music at a very young age and I pursued it for much of my youth.  That was one of the best things she did for me.  But as far as dancing, well, that was a whole different issue.  Men didn't dance really.  Plus, there was a stigma about dancing, the church frowned upon it and it was sinful.  Oh My!  So there wasn't much available in that department.  In elementary school, I remember learning an Irish jig in one of the music classes.  In 1983, when Michael Jackson moon walked for the first time and his career exploded, I remember my teacher having all the kids in class do their version of the moonwalk.  That may seem silly, but it was a big deal because where I grew up no one was doing that latest dances.  Perhaps kids in urban environments were, but not in farmville, USA.  In Junior High and High School we had dances, but they were lame.  The guys did this kind of bend the knee to the music sort of thing, trying to maintain a cool look and being all man about it to impress the ladies.  The only other trend I remember that made it big in the farmland was MC Hammer's parachute pants and the typewriter dance.  What were we thinking? 

In High School, there were no dance teams or classes of any sort.  The closest thing we had was the cheer leading squad.  And men didn't cheer.  The activities that I participated in that had any sort of choreography and movement were show choir, marching band, and theater.  It was better than nothing at all.  And there was music, I was always surrounded by music.  In addition, we watched some television at home.  No MTV, we only had three channels and no cable.  So we watched shows like Hee Haw, Lawrence Welk, Barbara Mandrell, and The Carol Burnett Show.  Sometimes they would have dancing.  I remember trying to stay home from church on Sunday nights so I could watch In Living Color with the Fly Girls.  Unfortunately, I thought I was a Fly Girl too, which can explain a lot.  My folks also took me to many theater productions:  Cats, Fiddler On The Roof, Etc.  So I viewed plenty of dancing growing up.

Then there was college.  I went from the farm to the Windy City, Chicago Illinois.  I was accepted into music conservatory.  I loved the idea of having a career in opera or musical theater.  So off to college I went.  At the suggestion of my academic counselor, I enrolled in a modern dance class.  I was excited about it.  The first week we studied ballet.  The teacher was adamant that I wear leotards to class because he "needed to be able to see my body."  Ok, hold up!  Huh?  What?  Are you serious?  I was modest.  I already felt like a freak of nature, like a giraffe among the field mice, and now leotards.  I didn't need the added attention, so I dropped the class.  The teacher didn't get to see me at all.  That should teach him.  I did my share of clubbing in college and even went to the occasional square dance.

 
After college, my inexperience continued.  I made a great career choice and landed a job at Chuck E. Cheese!  While there, I performed with the great rat himself.  Stardom!  My social club scene continued and I took a few line dance classes.  I ended up working for the Fisher Theatre in Detroit and I saw many, many performances that were alive with dancing.  Then in 1995 I moved to California and if you've read my other blogs, you know what happened then. 

When I joined Herencia Mexicana in October 2011 it was either sink or swim.  The group was composed of seasoned dancers and I was out of my league.  To add to the challenge, Richard was teaching the region of Guerrero which is not easy.  And I struggled to keep up.  I felt too old, too slow, too out of shape, too unqualified and too white.  And from that point on I coined the term, "Killing the white gene" of incoordination and lack of rhythm.  I was another shining example that white folks can't dance.  And even though my body was hating me and retaliated with soreness and cramps and I contemplated quitting a million times and told Richard I wanted to just dance the slower easier dances, I stuck with it and through it all Richard never gave up on me, nor did he let up.  And because he has persevered through all my trials and melt downs, I am now dancing dances I never imaged I could.  On May 11, 2012 I danced my first performance.  More on that in the weeks to come.  So to put it plainly, I went from Fly Girl to Folklorico!  Gotta love it.  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

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one!  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.

Getting Started - Week 1

Welcome!  The Adventure Begins Here!

Ok, so right off the bat I want to address this whole wedo thing before I get emails and hate mail telling me how I spelled it wrong and how I'm just another uneducated ignorant white boy.  My response, "Lighten up!  Get a sense of humor."  But for those of you who are self appointed spelling gatekeepers and grammar guardians of the web, here you go:  Guero.  Wiktionary definition:  A word used in Mexico to denote a person of fair complexion or with blond or red hair.  There you have it.  In the United States it is often used as a word to describe white people.  A slang word meaning "white boy or whitey."  The slang Americanized spelling of the word, wedo, is no different than how other words are spelled in street slang.  For example, boy is often spelled boi or boii.  The list could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.  So relax and just go with it.  Laugh at how we spell words as to how they sound and not how they actually are.  And in my opinion, wedo is fitting for this 38 year old, 6'2", 220 lbs, bald headed white guy from Michigan, who doesn't speak a lick of Spanish.  I am one big wedo.

So how does someone like me, get involved in Mexican dancing?  Specifically, ballet folklorico.  I could say "love" but then I would lose all my readership.  I can hear you all gaging and hacking already.  Someone call the Lifetime channel!  I could say, "I got sucked into it" but that would probably raise some eyebrows as well.  So I will just respond with, "It caught my attention and I decided to give it a try.  Only to find out that I really enjoy it and so I'm sticking to it."  No, I'm not having a cultural identity crisis and trying to become Mexican.  I'm enjoying life as it comes my way.

So I hope you will go on a journey with me.  One that began in 2010.  Who knows, perhaps in a year from now when this blog finishes, you too will be dancing folklorico.  Perhaps even with me!  Not only would I like this blog to be about my journey but also a kind of "White Man's Guide to Folklorico Dancing."  We shall see how this all ends up.  Until next week....

PLEASE NOTE:  MANY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND PICTURES IN THIS BLOG ARE NOT MY OWN.  MANY OF THE IMAGES WERE TAKEN FROM GOOGLE FREE IMAGES.  I DO NOT OWN THE COPYRIGHTS NOR DO I TAKE ANY CREDIT FOR THEM.  NO VIOLATION OR INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED.  IF I HAVE USED YOUR IMAGE AND YOU DO NOT WANT IT TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS BLOG FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF OTHERS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT ONEBIGWEDO@GMAIL.COM AND IT WILL BE REMOVED.  ONE BIG WEDO IS NOT A MONEY MAKING VENTURE.  IT IS A FREE SERVICE.  THANK YOU.   

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

Note: Looking for your own adventure or journey? Herencia is a great place to find one!  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.