In the exposition of the winter recital, students from both the Abraham Lincoln Middle School and Selma High showcased the skills they had retained throughout the year and depicted the regions and cultures they had learned and become accustomed to. They represented these regions and showed appreciation for the variety of provinces and cultures through the dances.
This year’s winter recital was initiated on the evening of December 1st and held in the ALMS cafeteria. The spectacle, however, made its way to a second night, performing also on Friday evening, December 2.
The winter recital is a striking and important event that surfaces within the folklórico program’s first school semester. It is single-handedly the grandest event of the year for both the local impassioned dancers and the parents who wish to see the performances the students have worked on.
The extension was the consequence of the program’s heightened student enrollment that transpired within this school year. The program rose, doubling in size, signifying, the class held more students than the school’s stage could bear.
Within both nights, the dances and practiced regions remained exact, the only disparities were the performers.
As a result of the expansion, students were divided to perform between the two nights. Not many had the opportunity to dance on both shows, but this adjustment gave all the students in both Los Paisanos and Las Aguilas programs a chance to execute a display of their crafts and talents for the public.
Opening the spectacle for the two events, was the advanced class, performing “Calabaceados,” a 10-minute performance, offering a tribute to Baja California.
“We all worked really hard. Everyone had to give up a lot of time and give it their best,” said Josselen Martinez, the student-president of Los Paisanos.
The show revealed a more extended assortment of regions, having a total of 13 different performances.
Some routines incorporated intricate props, such as machetes, bringing thrill and exhilaration to the show, bringing it to life.
Los Paisanos presented “Taspana”, dances derived and enlightened from Sinaloa into the program for the first time and had it serve as the closing performance. The students and advisors labored excessively.
“We spent many hours rehearsing,” Martinez added. “We had practices almost every day–we even had them on weekends. It was really time-consuming and stressful, but I don’t regret it.”
The senior expressed her appreciation for the program and felt satisfied with the overall performance. She also voiced that the recital has brought forth multiple benefits.
“It brought us all together. It helped me form more friendships with people who before [the recital] I would only exchange a few words,” said Martinez.
It took detailed planning and countless hours of practice, but the challenging toil produced a fulfilling and sensational spectacle for the public. The event renounced the crowd to awe with the kaleidoscopic and vast performances the dancers and advisors supplied.
With their most important show of the semester going by smoothly, the dancers now rest and hope to produce more momentous performances together in the upcoming year.