Mexican Folk Dance: Facts about the Mexican Folk Dancing

One of the most stunning and culturally rich dance expression of its kind, the Mexican folk dance is a display of the colorful heritage of the country. The dance is heavily influenced by the complex history of Mexico, which includes the Spanish Colonial Period, the Mexican War of Independence and the 1910 Mexican Revolution. It showcases a unique mix of the cultural influences on the indigenous cultures in Mexico. This has now developed into a beautiful dance form, with its inspiring Mexican music and the rich colorful attire. Here is a look into some facts, about the famous Mexican folk dancing.

Mexican Folk Dancing Facts

The History of Mexican Folk Dancing
Folk dances in Mexico have traditionally been a way of honoring the Mexican culture and a representation of the struggles and joys of the daily Mexican life. It is a celebration of the religious and cultural rituals and festivals, celebrated by the people of that place. The origin of Mexican folk dances lies in the Mesoamerican days, when ritualistic dance was performed to appease the deities by the Mayans and the Aztecs. When the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, they brought with them, the European-style dances such as the waltz, ballet, polka and schottische, which greatly influenced the indigenous dance form. Subsequent conquests allowed the German, French, Spanish and Italian dances, to mingle with the original folk dance and the emergence of three forms of Mexican folk dance. The first is 'danza', which is an indigenous ritual dance, performed in religious or community settings. The second category of Mexican folk dance forms, is 'mestizo', which showcases the western influences on the indigenous dance, in either the step,s or the theme. The 'bailes regionales' or the regional dances, are a manifestation of the dance form by each community. This is usually presented in community and theatrical performances.

Types of Mexican Dances
Each region and state in Mexico, presents the Mexican dance form in a style that reflects its own unique customs and traditions. The characteristics are easily differentiable in the music, the dance and the costumes of the dancers. While some have a more indigenous expression in their folk dance, there are others who draw heavily from the European dance forms, such as the Flamenco. Here is a look into some of the most famous Mexican folk dances.

• The Jarabe Tapatio: Often considered to be synonymous to Mexican dancing itself, the Jarabe Tapatio or 'the Mexican hat dance' is one of the most beloved dance forms in Mexico. This traditional dance form is considered as the national dance of Mexico. Having originated in the state of Jalisco, the Jarabe Tapatio is a courting dance, where the man tries to romantically sway a woman into courtship. While the women wear the traditional china poblana, which includes a fringed blouse, a skirt and a shawl, the men are dressed in an ornate charro or cowboy suit. The dance gained immense popularity when the famous ballerina, Anna Pavlova, incorporated it in her repertoire.
• La Danza del Venado: This is a ritualistic dance form performed by the tribe of Yaqui Indians. It is an illustration of a deer hunt, with the dancers wearing wooden masks and impersonating deers and hunters.

There are other popular Mexican folk dance forms, like the one which has originated in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. Imbibing many of the features of polka dance, it is a loud, lively and intense dance. Similarly in the state of Michoacan, a popular Mexican folk dance form known as El Baile de Los Viejitos was founded as a way of ridiculing the Spanish elite. A beautiful and rather dangerous form of dance, is the 'dance of the machetes', which evolved in Nayarit. Men dressed in white pants, a bandana and a traditional white shirt under a colored shirt, bang their machetes together, sending sparks flying. They form machete arches, under which the women dance. They hold their arms high, and twist and bend while shrugging their shoulders. The women wear a colorful attire, which consists of a small flower print ranchera style outfit and a colorful huichol fan.

The Mexican folk dancs steps or the zapateado, are dynamic and vary based on the teachings of every individual maestro or teacher. A few basic steps or pasos, as they are commonly known, include the golpe (the basic foot stomp on the ground), remate (series of foot stomps) and the sequencia (steps are combined with the music). Performed by both men and women ,the traditional form of dancing has taken many forms over the ages. However, the spirit of most of these dances remains rooted in the creative expression and the history of this amazing country.