The Mac and Cheese Chronicles

So yes, we all survived the folklorico performance.  And wow! What an experience.  I know I’ve mentioned it before, but it’s worth repeating – Boo and Pumpkin Girl had 5 costumes each, to include hats, hair pieces and various accessories like rebozos, machetes and paliacates (bandannas).

I had a list, of course I had a list.  I had a print out of the entire show, in order, with the list of needed costume pieces running down each side.  Pumpkin’s costumes on the left, Boo’s on the right.  We had a full dress rehearsal the night before and I realized how unprepared I actually was.   I developed a new game plan for performance night, which was derailed when the children had to change dressing areas 10 minutes before taking the stage.  I was not amused.

Nonetheless, all went well.  The costume changes were fast and furious and all the children danced their hearts out.  Pumpkin was beautiful, if I do say so myself, and Boo did me proud.  He danced 3 dances in a row, stopping only to get or discard props backstage as needed.

From the state of Guerrero, they opened the show with “Son de Costa.”

That’s Boo on the right and Pumpkin on the left, in the turquoise skirt.

The adults danced 3 dances while the children raced to ready for their polka, “El Jaral.” This is the one they danced for the America’s Got Talent auditions.

Their next costume change was difficult. The polka hairpieces are held in place with hair pins and have to be removed carefully so as not to ruin their real hair. The next two dances also had props, but different props for each dance.

From the state of Jalisco, they first danced “La Jota Tapatia.”

Followed quickly by “Los Machetes”, the children’s specialty.

Boo totally rocks the machetes.

A little skirt work from Pumpkin Girl.

Boo’s too cool for a sombrero.

Is it the French or Mexican blood in Boo that makes him look like he’s ready to lead a revolution?That’s Pumpkin on the right, wearing turquoise again.

The intermediate class took a break while Boo handed me his machetes and popped back on stage to dance “Alazanas” with the advanced class.

The adults danced, and then the children came back to dance “La Culebra.”

Here come the boys to rescue the girls from the snake!

After intermission were 2 pre-Hispanic dances.

The boys spent about half of the dance jumping in circles while in a squatting position. Boo was the only one who made it through the whole dance. Just watching them made our leg muscles burn. Boo is the middle boy in the first row.

Pumpkin is the small one in yellow.

And finally, from the state of Veracruz, “Contradanza” and “El Colas.”

At the curtain call they were given streamers to throw.

Here, the girls look to see where they went.

“Bye!”

Print Friendly

It’s that time again – the Spring folklorico performance.  Boo and Pumpkin Girl are in 9 different dances with 5 different costumes, hairpieces/hats each.  That’s ten costumes with accessories!  We have some of our own costumes, we borrowed others from the company and two more are supposed to be here by tonight’s rehearsal.  They’re being shipped from Mexico.  I’m a bit skeptical.

Of course, none of the company costume pieces are able to be worn as-is.  They all need some sort of basic tailoring to have them fit my children.  The toughest one is the pre-Hispanic suit Boo has.  It’s 4 inches too big around the waist and with the shocking lack of belts in pre-Hispanic Mexico, I’m not sure how to keep it around his skinny little waist.  He’s already got to wear bike shorts under it for modesty’s sake so I need to figure out a way to keep it from falling down around his rattle-wrapped ankles.  I already tried safety pins, but I don’t think it’s going to work.

Of course we just got the costumes last weekend.  Nothing like last minute costume altering to drive a mom crazy.

We bought a temporary clothes closet to hang costumes on in the dressing room.  Right now it’s set up in the living room with the costumes so I can keep track of what I’ve altered and pressed.   I do have a list of all the accessories each dance needs and what I need to do, but I find myself wandering around muttering, “Guerrero, Jalisco, Polka, pre-Hispanic, Veracruz…”

There are still 3 costumes missing from this picture.  The jack o’lantern in the background has nothing to do with anything.

I’ve also got house guests coming in on the day of the rehearsal, in the middle of the rehearsal, in fact.  Good thing the airport is less than a mile from the theater.  Phil can run over there while I watch rehearsal.

In spite of my complaining and worrying, this performance is going to be fun.  If you live in the DC area and would like to go to the show, shoot me an email at the address over there in my sidebar. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children.

edited to add: the show is Saturday, April 18th at 7:30 PM and features both adults and children in dances from various regions of Mexico.

Print Friendly