After a brief hiatus which ended in 2022, Santa Maria High School’s Ballet Folklórico, now directed by Daniela Ruiz has found great success with their presence in many events, including in this year’s Fiesta Mexicana. Set up by the director at Righetti High School, they performed alongside Pioneer Valley and Righetti High School’s own Ballet Folklorico groups, including Righetti’s Marimba Band.

The Fiesta Mexicana is one of many crucial events to hold, as its important for families to celebrate and embrace their cultures together.

“I think it’s important because it shows more of our culture, and a lot of people here are part of the Hispanic and Latino culture,” dancer Fatima Silva-Ville said. “[It] makes them more excited to see it and submerse themselves in their culture.”

Before the event, the group had to practice hard, as this show called for more work than previous ones.

“This show is our first show where we’ll be in the actual show,” explained one dancer, “and we’re gonna have to dance more.”

“We have to practice every week, and then the week before the show we have to do like, rehearsal runs where we like run it like if it was a show,” sophomore dancer Ayelin Flores Tello described.

Though they got nervous, come Friday and Saturday, their hard work was evident both nights.

“Once you get on stage you don’t really feel the nerves.” Said one dancer after the whole group waited in the cold outside to cheer on and celebrate with their director Daniela, having finished their performance on Saturday.

With performances to music like El Potrillo and La Costilla, all in all it’s safe to say the group was able to put on an impressive show, of course with the help of the other groups in attendance.