Cal State Fullerton is usually dormant on Sunday nights, but on the evening of Dec. 8, the campus was awakened by the applause of hundreds who witnessed the grace of student performers at “Sabor de mi Tierra.”
Hosted inside of the Titan Student Union Pavilion by Associated Students’ Social Justice and Equity Commission and the Ballet Folklórico de CSUF club, “Sabor de mi Tierra” showcased folklórico to over 300 people, engaging them more through every act.
“All of it was really good, spectacular, and I enjoyed every part of it,” said Susana Francisco, parent of a student performer. “It makes me emotional because it’s something very special for them to continue to learn part of their heritage, what their ancestries did as a part of a daily routine. It wasn’t to perform, but it was part of their celebrations.”
Translating to “folkloric” in English, folklórico is a dance style encompassing traditional dances from Latin America, namely within regions of Mexico. Sometimes referred to as baile folklórico and ballet folklórico, the distinctive dance styles reflect and fully tell stories about culture in different areas.
Since its founding on campus in 2007 by then-CSUF students Christopher Sandoval and Michaela Kimball, Ballet Folklórico de CSUF has used radiant wardrobes, fluid choreography and eye-catching props to educate and electrify their audiences.
“It means a lot to me being able to express myself not only through dance, but also in a very culturally-specific way,” said Sean Garcia, a fourth-year sociology major, who performed three dances within the event. “Being Mexican myself, it makes me more proud of my roots and where I can come from, and I think likewise for everyone in the audience.”
Several of the student performers, new and old, said they were introduced to the Ballet Folklórico de CSUF through Discoverfest, a multi-day event hosted during the second week of each semester that spotlights different clubs and organizations at CSUF.
Like Garcia, who said he began performing with Ballet Folklórico de CSUF in his junior year, many students involved in the showcase were deeply motivated to ensure what they did would honor their culture.
“We started our practices late August, early September, and so we’ve been working really hard since then,” said Analia Banuelos, vice president of Ballet Folklórico de CSUF and member of the ASI Social Justice and Equity Commission. “We practice three days a week from 7 to 9 p.m., sometimes even longer, and every member that you saw here was very committed and made it to every single practice to work very hard to where we came today.”
As costumes changed and choreography became more technical, the crowd size grew alongside their engagement. By the end of the event, students took to the center of the Pavilion to express their gratitude for a space to honor their heritage and were given rounds of applause and bouquets.
“A lot of us are first-generation students. We come from families that haven’t been to college,” said Aime Arellano, president of the Ballet Folklórico de CSUF. “To show them we’re not just doing academics, but we’re also being involved in a hobby that we love and share, and we spend countless hours here doing stuff like this.”
On the stage, Arellano said ASI’s Social Justice and Equity Commission’s involvement was key to the event’s success.
“We have over 60 members this semester, which is an all-time high,” Arellano said. “With the collaboration of Social Justice and Equity Commission, we were able to provide those resources that they also have here on campus and show them what they are and present, not just our culture, but our college culture as well.”
Arellano says that following the event’s massive success, she expects the club to be “bigger and bolder” as it continues educating folks about folklórico and other parts of Mexican culture.