Bakersfield College and Women’s History Month and More (WHAM) hosted a performance by Groupo Mexica Tiahui, a Mexican Folklorico Troupe, on March 4 in Forum East.

The Mexica Tiahui Ballet Folklórico is a “non-profit organization at California State University, Bakersfield, whose goal is to preserve the history, art and culture of Mexico,” said BC Chicano studies professor Rosa Garza.

Spanish professor Luis Guajardo said, “I like to support events like these, because it has to do with the Spanish culture, and it’s important to realize we live in a society that is different and has many identities.”

The event began with the first regional dance of Veracruz, Mexico. Three dancers wore white, elegant dresses with a lacing shawl over their shoulders along with a colorful flower in their hair.

Judith Gonzalez, 19, psychology major with a minor in Chicano studies, has been dancing for one year.

“I’m a part of something like this because it takes me back to my culture and it teaches who you are and how beautiful the Mexican culture is,” said Gonzalez.

The dancers performed dances for three regions of Mexico: Veracruz, Guerrero and Sinaloa. Each region had different costumes and was distinct in look.

For the Guerrero costume, each dancer had a different color of dress with a braid in each of the girls’ hair. They also had a red handkerchief that represents a way of calling men to dance with them and follow the woman.

The Sinaloa costume consisted of a large yellow skirt with flower embroidery and a white-laced shirt.

Eunice Miranda, 30, CSUB alumni and co-director of the group, has been dancing for 12 years.

“I joined this group by accident. I used to work for a student advising center at CSUB and the director of the group told me if I could take the dancers, music and radio to their practice room and it became a routine. After a while I would just stay there and after two months I started seeing them learning the music. The teacher wasn’t there one day and the director of the group asked me why I wasn’t dancing and he told me ‘Get in the front and start dancing,’ and I’ve been dancing ever since,” said Miranda.

Every dancer learns the same region dances and right now, the group collectively knows nine region dances. Every year, the students attend a national conference that is hosted by the National Association of Folkfloric Group and it’s held in either Mexico or in the United States. Once there, the students learn new material and come back to teach it to their group.

Along with learning the regional dances, costumes and their pricing are an expensive outcome. The Sinaloa costume costs $800 per person. Most costumes come from the regional town and when the dancers actually get to travel to the state, they try to bring one authentic dress and duplicate it in the United States for much cheaper pricing.

Miranda believes that attending events about different cultures is an important way to learn about other countries and their customs.

“Events like these give you back a little piece of your heritage. I haven’t been to Mexico myself, but just dancing to these regions tells me that this is how proud my people are, and it gives you a sense of pride,” said Miranda.