By Maureen Dietrich

Mexican folkloric dance, which became popular during the post-revolutionary era, is the essential heart of Mexico. It originated as a way to display ethnic diversity within the country in the hope of keeping alive cultural traditions. Dances consist of cuadros, or suites, representing different states or regions and often tell a story, frequently of courtship. Rebecca Llamas, Director of the Folkloric Ballet of Rebecca Llamas in Mazatlán, knew from a young age that folkloric dance would be her life. Born with an equinovarus foot, a congenital disorder wherein her right foot pointed inwards, she went through numerous painful corrective operations. In 1973, she finally realized her lifelong dream when she joined a folkloric dance group headed by renowned Mazatlán teacher, Miguel Angle Tirado. After a successful dance career with some of Mexico´s best known folkoric groups, ten years ago Rebecca formed her own school. If you have been lucky enough to attend a performance at the Angela Peralta Theater or the Mexican Fiestas held at local hotels, there you will have seen her young, enthusiastic alumni swirling on stage in a choreographed blaze of color. “Most of our dancers come from poor families in poor communities,” Rebecca explained at a recent presentation to members of Friends of Mexico. “Maybe one or two are from the middle class. My students aren´t paid, so they work anywhere they can. There are no scholarships for our dancers, as there are for other Municipal School of the Arts students. People with money prefer ballet, opera, music – not folkloric dance,” she added matter-of-factly. A small, slender woman with abundant energy, Rebecca