INDIANAPOLIS — We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on the dance floor with this week’s Inspiring Indiana story.
Colorful, giant, waving skirts and fancy footwork highlight the traditions of Mexican folk dancing. Grupo Folclórico Macehuani, roughly translated folk dancing group, is inspiring members to step into their family culture south of the border.
"I love to dance,” said Ana Hernandez, Grupo Folclorico Macehuani program coordinator. “I love to learn more about my own culture. I was born in the United States. I wasn't born in Mexico and my children were also born in the United States. So, I feel like this is a way to better understand my own culture, where I come from, my family."
Hernandez helped start the group about four years ago. They practice at Broadway United Methodist Church, learning a variety of dance styles, music, and dress from across Mexico.
"I used to think of Mexico as just country,” said Kristine Lopez, a 23-year-old dancer in the group. “But when I went to started to learn about each individual state and their unique music representation and dance representation, I was like, ‘It's way more than that’."
"I just love the joy of our culture, the joy of the music and the dancers,” said Hernandez. “We're supposed to be happy and when we dance, we do gritos, which is like a yell. So, we encourage each other. We encourage the audience."
"When you dance, you kind of have to transmit the energy that you want the audience to get from what you're performing,” Lopez said.
Hispanic Heritage Month is the busiest time of the year for the group. They perform not just in central Indiana, but also compete all over the country. They've been invited to perform in Mexico later this month.
Grupo Folclórico Macehuani also has a program for children.
"It helps me take a deeper dive into all the states of Mexico, and it really gets me happy to know that I'm dancing from states where my family's from,” said 10-year-old Ritchie Cardenas.
"When we're dancing, it feels like no one's watching us,” said 10-year-old Kateri Savinon. “We're just dancing. We're being ourselves."
The group welcomes anyone to join, six years old to adults. Mexican or Hispanic heritage is not required.
Grupo Folclórico Macehuani performs at the Day of the Dead celebration at Garfield Park on Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m.