The church bells ring twice. The smell of horchata and pupusas fill the plaza, which is alive and bustling with excitement. The Sunday afternoon air is hot and unforgiving, but that doesn’t stop the Paquiyollotzin (meaning “joyful heart” in Nahuatl, an Aztecan language) dancers from entertaining the lively audience with a series of intricate dances, donning bright and exuberant Jalisco dresses. The Health Fair, following Saint Vincent de Paul Church’s Sunday mass and kickstarting the church’s Day of the Dead celebrations, is a day full of festivities, most notably four different dances — all part of the Ballet Folklorico, each representing various states and their traditions within the Mexican culture — that are presented. The performers, ranging from young children to grown adults, dance with passion and joyous expressions that are contiguous to the viewers, watching in awe.

   Senior Esmeralda Barocio, a dancer for Paquiyollotzin, commented on why she participates in the dance.

   “The reason I do it is because it helps with stress; it’s like a second family. I love the people who dance and it’s just really fun to get out there and [do] presentations,” said Barocio.

   The dances are mesmerizing, captivating the audience and passersby alike with their animated movements, colorful costumes, and upbeat music. The Jarabe Tapatío dance, in particular, represents the theme of courtship and coquetry. Jarabe Tapatío, also known as the Mexican hat dance, originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco and is known for its playful and rhythmic dancing. Several other regional dances of Mexico are taught and performed by the members of the Paquiyollotzin group as well.

   The group is not currently participating in any competitions. However, that does not dull their motivation to keep practicing and performing. Barocio describes how competitions differ from traditional presentations.

   “If we ever dance at a fair, there’s other dancers too from a different group, so it [can be] competitive. When we dance at the Butter and Eggs parade, that’s competitive, so when we’re in front of the judges we try to do the best we can,” Barocio said. “Usually, we don’t see it as something competitive, we see it as something we do for fun, something exciting to do.”

   The dancers’ coach, Juan Gonzalez, has been teaching for about five years. Before teaching, Gonzalez participated in competitions and performances alongside his current students as a dancer with the group. Gonzalez explained that with so many new members, competition is still far away, as he believes his dancers are not yet at the skill level required, but hopes they can get there with hard work and a lot of practice.

     “[We practice] two times a week, sometimes three. We try to practice at least two hours every day,” said Gonzalez. Sometimes we need more, but when it’s a big group, it’s hard to be on the same page and have everything [done] in the same day because the levels are different. I am thinking about starting another class just for starters.”

   However, practice is not the only key to being a successful dancer, according to Gonzalez.

   “You need to feel the passion, you need to really like what you are doing, or you are not going to trust it. You are in front of the public; people are watching you,” Gonzalez said.

   The dancers spend hours each week dedicated to learning the intricate footwork and ornate movements that coalesce in each dance, mastering the detailed approach to presenting the dances while also creating an entertaining and culturally educational opportunity for the community. Barocio explains how an intimate and familiar environment is created through the group’s dynamic.

   “It brings us all together as a family. Everyone who’s there comes from different parts of Mexico, but when we’re all dancing the same dance it brings us all together, lets us know that we’re all the same,” said Barocio.