EDMONDS, Wash. — Students in Snohomish County are lacing up their dancing shoes as they practice traditional Mexican folkloric dances with a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing cultural traditions.
Ballet Folklórico Xochiquetzal, led by director Xochitl Palacios, teaches young people about Mexico’s history and Indigenous roots through dance.
“Dance is like a language,” Palacios said. “It’s body movement, it’s love, and it’s storytelling.”
What began as a small effort to provide Latino students and families with cultural programming has grown into a nonprofit organization serving children and teens in the Edmonds area.
“When I first moved to Edmonds and I started working in the school district, parents were like, ‘Oh well, we don’t have anything happening, anything Latino,’” Palacios said. “I said, well, how about we start with my class and we can teach them certain little dances, and then we’ll take it from there and see how it goes.”
Students ranging from elementary school age to high school attend after-school practices at a center, where they learn traditional indigenous dances and the stories behind them.
“I feel like when I dance, like I’m embracing my culture,” dancer David Torres said.
Palacios said there have been challenges along the way. She talked about not being able to dance in Edmonds schools because of a conflict of interest and having to find somewhere for students to practice. She also recalled a period when fear within the Latino community made participation more difficult for some students.
“When the Trump administration came through, there was a lot of fear in our community, and so then the kids couldn’t or didn’t want to dance,” Palacios said. “I made it more intentional where our students could be protected at the time.”
Despite those challenges, students continued performing and supporting one another.
“Students have come to me and said, ‘We will dance for those that can’t,’” she said.
For many students, the dances provide a deeper connection to their heritage while also helping educate audiences.
“I’m proud to be Mexican, and I like when people see us dance because they can try to learn our culture, too,” dancer Dania Monrroy said.
Palacios said passing cultural traditions to younger generations is one of the organization’s most important goals.
“Impacting the youth so that they can carry on these traditions so it doesn’t die,” she said. “Many languages have passed away, Indigenous languages that are no longer here. My parents speak Mixteco, and I didn’t get to learn that as a child.”
Palacios talked about the history of Ballet Folklórico, pointing out that it all started with Amalia Hernandez, a pioneer who founded the Mexican Folkloric Ballet. She said dance has made a lifelong impact on her own life.
“I danced Ballet Folklórico since I was eight,” she said. “That’s what saved me. Growing up in a community that was just really hard for us, it saved me from that.”
As Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations continue, Ballet Folklórico Xochiquetzal is inviting community members to learn more about the organization and its mission.
“I would love to invite people,” Palacios said. “I always like to invite them to come and try it, see if it’s a fit.”
Ballet Folklórico Xochiquetzal will perform during House of Wisdom’s multicultural celebration night at Edmonds Waterfront Center on Tuesday, October 20. To RSVP, click here.
They will also perform at a Dia de los Muertos event on November 6 from 5 to 7:30 pm at Shoreline College
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