College students at MiraCosta College's Oceanside campus are working to keep ballet folklórico center stage, and their dedication has brought the traditional Mexican dance form into the classroom.
Two new courses, Introduction to Mexican Folkloric Dance and Dance Practices Across Cultures, launched this semester, giving students college credit for the cultural work they were already doing through the campus club.
"So since there was such an interest from the students and, you know, they were doing a lot of work to learn their dances and doing performances but not getting college credit for that work," Dean Jonathan Fohrman said.
For students like Ximena Luna, the dance is personal. She first discovered ballet folklórico in high school.
"It was my sophomore year. Up until that point, I have always hated dancing," Luna said.
Now, the music is her cue to showcase her culture.
"I became more confident in my culture, my identity as someone who is Latina," Luna said.
Fellow student Aldo Garza said the tradition connects him to his roots.
"Well, it connects to my family a lot because I'm Mexican American with from an immigrant family," Garza said.
For Luna, preserving the tradition goes beyond the steps.
"Tradition is very important. It is who we are. Maybe not today, but it shows a part of who we are and who we are growing from," Luna said.
Student Alyssa Gorgal said having ballet folklórico recognized in both a club and a course sends a broader message about the campus community.
"Now it's being able to be shown in both club and course, which just overall can show how like diverse and just dynamic this whole community of this whole school," Gorgal said.
