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Dance has always played an important role in human history, according to Victor Torres, professor of Chicano and Latin American Studies. During Cinco de Mayo, folkloric dance helps people remember the struggle for freedom.

"One thing about dance people don’t realize — it is just not for fun," says Torres. "Dance has a particular social meaning significance, whether it’s for religious purposes or social purposes. In conflict, dance serves as a way to unify people. It is a way to establish cohesiveness."

At one time, dance in Mexico was prohibited by the Spanish because Spanish forces were afraid that it might build a sense of Mexican nationalism. So dance has played an important part in social movements and wars. During Cinco de Mayo, dance helps Mexicans remember their past.

"Many people confuse Cinco de Mayo with Mexican Independence" says Torres. "Mexican Independence is September 16. Cinco de Mayo refers to a very popular and famous battle in the city of Puebla in Mexico. That pitted the ill-equipped, poorly trained Mexican force in 1862 against a larger war-trained professional army, a French army."

The battle is celebrated in Mexico and in the United States primarily because the Mestizo and Zapotec Indians and poor peasants defeated one of the most powerful armies in the world at that time. The fact that the French army eventually subdued Mexico is not as important as the symbol of the common people defending their rights.

"For Mexican Americans in the United States, it’s a symbol of resistance," says Torres. "It’s a symbol of rising up against a more powerful force. And so it builds unity. It builds a sense of commonality. And it’s for that reason that we celebrate it here in the United States."

As the director of Los Danzantes de Aztlan, the university’s official folkloric dance group, Torres keeps the tradition of dance alive. Los Danzantes de Aztlan, founded in 1970 by Professor Ernesto Martinez, plays an important role in promoting culture diversity and cultural awareness, both on campus and off campus.

"Performing folkloric dances is a way for Mexican Americans to preserve their cultural heritage," says Torres. "However, everyone can enjoy these dances. So look for us the next time we perform."

 

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