Photo and Story by Sergio Pacheco/Contributing Writer
The Schermerhorn Symphony Center presented the third annual “México En El Corazón,” which translates to “Mexico in the Heart,” in Nashville on Sunday. The opening introduced people such as Nashville’s Mayor David Briley, Metro City council candidate Fabian Bedne and the president of the North American Institute for Mexican Advancement Sergio Suarez, to name a few. They each said a few words and recognized the Mexican community for attending the event.
The event began with a short video that explained the event’s mission: to share a little bit of the rich Mexican culture with as many people as they can. Once the video ended, mariachi singer, Jesus Ramos, asked everyone to stand as he began to sing The Star Spangled Banner.
Later, three artists began to gently strum their guitars and slowly their speed began to pick up. They managed to get the crowd clapping to the beat of the music. The musicians stopped playing and a video began, which explained what the next performance was about, what type of dance was going to be shown and the meaning behind the dance. Music played by the mariachi band was accompanied by traditional folkloric dances from Jalisco, Mexico. One of the first folkloric dances involved one female dancer and seven male dancers in a challenge to see who could seduce her with their dance styles. “Los Machetes,” also known as the machete dance, involved male dancers throwing small machete knives around as part of their performance.
The female folk dancers had their hair braided in folkloric hair braids, which consisted of colorful ribbons tied within them. They wore long and colorful dresses, with some bearing bedazzled beads in the shape of an eagle to gain more attention.
“Even though I’m Peruvian, I enjoy supporting other Hispanic and Latino events and cultures. We share the same pride for our mother countries. The colorful clothing that the dancers wore remind me of the folkloric dancers in my country,” said Luis Chunga, a computer science major student at Middle Tennessee State University.
In between dancing performances, a mariachi singer would come out to sing traditional folk songs like “Como Quien Pierde Una Estrella”, which means “Like Someone that Lost a Star” and “Cancion Mixteca,” or “Mixtec Song.” One of the mariachi singers took it upon himself and sang a capella, for which he got a round of applause from everyone.
The final performance brought all the performers to the stage as mariachi singers Jessica Duval, Alejandro Raigosa and Jesus Ramos sang “México En Mi Corazón,” which translates to “Mexico In My Heart.”
“This was my second year attending and I can honestly say it was worth it. I’m from Venezuela, but I enjoy the Mexican culture and the people as a whole. Events like these really do bring the Latino community together to share and appreciate other cultures within Latin America,” said Marian Mendoza, an alumna from Middle Tennessee State University.
Performers traveled from Jalisco, Mexico on a tour around the United States, performing in twelve different states altogether. Although national Hispanic Heritage month begins September 15, it was a great kick-off for the Hispanic and Latino community. The uplifting and colorful event was able to not only bring Hispanics and Latinos together, but many people from different cultures and backgrounds as well.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Brandon Black, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
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