By Pamela Cruz with information from Anna Lee Mraz. Peninsula 360 Press.
Surrounded by dresses with big flares, colors, tap dancing, and lots of partying, sociologist Anna Lee Mraz interviewed teacher Blanca Araceli Soto, who these days leads an incredible folkloric ballet party that takes place in Fresno, California.
Anna Lee Mraz: I am in Fresno, California, at the Danzantes Unidos Festival, a folkloric ballet festival with more than 1,500 registered people, a festival that brings together folkloric groups from all over the country, where they meet with teachers and students .
There is a show every day, there is a little store, there are classes by region throughout Mexico; I, in particular, am taking the Hidalgo course with teacher Netza Vidal. This festival has been going on for 45 years, it is a festival that teacher María Luisa Colmenares started, and I am here because Casa Circulo Cultural He was also invited by teacher Omar Quesada who is also teaching at the festival and we are going to perform tonight. I was fortunate enough to speak yesterday with teacher Blanca Araceli Soto, master of ceremonies for this festival and we are going to listen to her.
Blanca Araceli Soto: Well, look, I have been here for 36 years in Los Angeles, California, I am from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, since I arrived and one of the missions for which I stayed in Los Angeles because, in addition to the fact that it is a capital of the entertainment industry, unfortunately our working class did not have cultural programs, especially southeast of Los Angeles, which is like 12 cities, and still to this day there is not a single theater; So, that motivated my husband and I so much to stay, to form an organization called Tierra Blanca Center, and to take on the task of making cultural programs in theater, music, dance, painting, folklore from both Mexico and Mexico. as well as from Latin America, so that children and young people, whose parents often cannot travel to their countries of origin, could bring them the essence of their country here in California.
Then I formed my dance company with which I had almost 27 years. It closed when the pandemic came and now I dedicate myself more to coaching actors in Spanish, for those adults or senior citizens who sometimes don't know how to enter. in the entertainment industry, film, theater and television, I now teach classes for them and I also continue to promote folklore, culture and tradition through getting involved with different movements like this Danzantes Unidos, it has been 45 years with the organization , but I am in the organization, I think about 30; I am super happy, whenever I come to these festivals, more than the music concert festivals of which you know which one, what do you say, I don't understand, it steals your energy, I think that here these festivals charge you with energy, for see the young people, the adults and, you saw it yourself right now, of the 30 students who were there, none was born in Mexico, but Mexico is born in their hearts and that is something so beautiful to thank the parents, the teachers , to all of them who make it possible for all these children to get to know Mexico through music and folklore.
Anna Lee Mraz: Absolutely, and today we are on the first day of the Danzantes Unidos festival, what did you think?
Blanca Araceli Soto: Son, a wonderful thing. I'm backstage, from the first group who were all nervous, we said a little prayer and I told them: "there are no mistakes here, it's just enjoying, feeling and vibrating with the people?" and, you know, it's not competition, everyone here, you saw, some came from Washington, others from Iowa, others from Oregon, others from here in Los Angeles, but what moves us all is our great passion for our Mexican culture .
You feel that in every pore and you leave injected with energy, now the fandango continues, tomorrow the workshops continue, at night another concert, then the party, you say: where do they get so much energy from? Both of us, who are already old, but all this is injections of pure life and a lot of positive energy.
Anna Lee Mraz: What would you recommend to someone who doesn't necessarily know that much about folklore? What would you recommend to approach him?
Blanca Araceli Soto: Notice that, as human beings, we have this great need to feel part of, and one of the things that became international and worldwide was sharing our culture through the Day of the Dead, so when you don't know well where you come from, if you can get closer to your culture, your folklore, your tradition, do it; If there isn't one where you are, create it, promote it, participate.
I think that gives us more life than many other things, there is no richer drug than getting involved in the folkloric movement.
Anna Lee Mraz: Anything else I haven't asked you that you would like to say to the Spanish-speaking audience in the San Francisco Bay Area
Blanca Araceli Soto: Well, equally, all of us who say we are Hispanic, that we are Latin American, let's show it a little more by supporting folklore groups by participating in local folklore groups, whether as dancers, as volunteers, as helpers, everyone needs, Not just those from Mexico, those from Latin America, those from Europe, all folk groups are life and culture and we do not want them to be lost.
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