By Dominic Bordelon
Introduction / Latin American Music: Popular Contemporary Genres
Latin American Music in the Baton Rouge Area / Mestizo / Julio & César
La Rumba Buena / The Latin Four
Traditional Mexican Dance: Irma Farfán Cobb / Festival Latino / Conclusion
Traditional Mexican Dance: Irma Farfán Cobb
Irma Farfán Cobb, originally from Mexico City, is a Baton Rouge resident and full professor of Spanish at Southern University. She is very proud of her Mexican heritage, and she expresses that pride through traditional dance. As a young woman, she learned the dances very well in order to be a physical education teacher; in Mexico, children learn various traditional folk dances in school. Irma came to the U.S. on a scholarship, and studied in Oklahoma, where she attended her first event with bailes folklóricos, or folkloric dances, in 1980. On that occasion she had to borrow a dress, because she didn't own an appropriate one--an important aspect of the dances. When she returned to Mexico later that year, she bought her first dress, which was the start of a very large collection.
Irma Farfán Cobb wears this red dress traditional of Guadalajara during performances of jarabe tapatio. Photo: Dominic Bordelon. |
At that event in 1980, Irma danced the jarabe tapatío, her favorite dance and the one she had in mind when she bought her first dress. The dress is a striking shade of red and features a billowing, voluminous skirt. The dress is accented with lace and ribbons of various colors. The skirt's abundant fabric is an important characteristic of the dress, because the most noticeable feature of the dance consists of the skirt's movements. The dancer grasps the skirt near the hem and lifts it above her head, then she waves it back and forth, sometimes in a flurry, sometimes in wide arcs, matching the 8- or 16-count rhythm of the music while moving her feet. This creates a spectacle of graceful, undulating motion and color. Meanwhile, the dancer's feet step deftly and excitedly in time to the music, as the body turns from one direction to another.
This is Irma's favorite dance because it is the most popular form and one representative of Mexican nationality as a whole: "when you listen to a mariachi. . . the way they start playing is with that song." The renown of this music and dance is evident in its international presence as the "Mexican Hat Dance"--a name chosen for the action taken near the end, when the dancer removes their hat, places it on the floor, and dances around it.
In the years following her first festival, Irma collected more dresses of various styles, expanding her performance repertoire as well. Each state in Mexico has a specific song and jarabe (dance) associated with it, as well as accompanying attire. Irma said that "the music is very distinctive for each state. . . . Each state from Mexico has its own traditional music." She cites as an example the music and dance of Veracruz, which can be compared to Spanish flamenco. However, Irma did not have to travel to many places to acquire the dresses, as they are available in a large, well-known market in Mexico City called La Lagunilla. On a few occasions, she had dresses specially made since they were unavailable in the market, such as one that she owns that has an Aztec design.
Irma Farfán Cobb performs in this dress with an Aztec design. Photo: Dominic Bordelon. |
Irma's collection of dresses grew not only for her own dancing, but also for that of her daughter Carolina, who began dancing at a young age. Carolina continues to accompany her as her only partner in bailes folklóricos. In fact, her children have been an important part in expressing her Mexican pride. Once, in the early 1990s, they saw the Mexican booth at an Earth Day celebration empty, and so they decided as a family to start their own booth. According to Carolina, "It was sad to see all the different countries" but not Mexico, which prompted them to ask, "Why isn't anyone doing this?" So the Cobb family began collecting other Mexican crafts as well, such as statuettes, toys, dolls, clothing, and games. Now they host one of the largest and most popular booths at Baton Rouge's international festivals. Irma's proudest moment is during the procession of the countries' representatives: "So my children, Carolina and Stephen, carry the Mexican flag. . . which is a very big honor for me, to see my children in the United States, walking with the traditional charro [i.e. mariachi] custom. . . I don't think it's going to get any better than that."
Dance is not only important in its most traditional incarnation, but also in more contemporary and everyday forms. All of the popular musical forms previously described are associated with specific dance techniques and maneuvers. The joy of dancing is a pervasive feature in Latino culture: Carolina has said, "You dance everywhere, everywhere there's music, I think, in our culture, you can't help but dance if there's music on." Irma observed that "our kids grow up dancing," and furthermore described an atmosphere in which people of all ages dance together: "The kids are allowed to dance in the middle of the room, like everybody else. It's a family party, for sure they are going to dance. . . . There is no such thing that kids are not allowed." Lucas Gonzaga, too, mentioned the importance of music and dancing at parties to help one forget life's troubles.
In her 20 years in Baton Rouge, Irma has observed great changes in the Latino community. When she arrived, she could not find anyone who shared her language or culture, and she suffered incidents of discrimination. After a few years, she found a few other Mexican families and befriended them. Now she is happy to see a growing, friendly community. She has said, "Very slowly. . . I think we are becoming part of the American culture, just because we are here. And I think a lot of Americans love that we are here to work." For her, it is important that Americans know that last point:
We are here because we are looking for a better life. We are hard workers. If you give us a job, we will do it, as good as we can, as fast as we can. We are here to make life better for our families in Mexico. And we will not take advantage of anybody. . . . We're just not here to take anybody's job, but to do those jobs that nobody wants to do. And we take a lot of pride in that.
In this way, Irma takes on the role of a cultural liaison for her community.
When asked whether she thinks that the younger generation will carry on the traditions, she responded, "I think it has to do with the parents. I think you have to show your kids how proud you are, of who you are and what you have been doing, and where you are coming from. So if you can show that to your kids, I believe that's the same way they're going to. . . carry on, and pass it on to the next generation."
Festival Latino
Another opportunity to see and hear Latin music and dance is at the annual Festival Latino produced by the Hispanic Apostolate Diocese of Baton Rouge in October. Each year they feature the various countries represented in Baton Rouge and have both local and touring musicians and dance troupes perform. Local families and community groups offer food booths featuring traditional foods from their country, including tacos, lechon (pork), ropa vieja (Cuban shredded flank steak in a tomato sauce base), congri (Cuban beans and rice), yuca al mojo (cassava), tamales, sweet fried plantains, and El Salvadoran pupusas, a corn flatbread stuffed with cheese.
Panamanian dancers at the Festival Latino in Baton Rouge sponsored by the Hispanic Apostolate Diocese of Baton Rouge. Photo: Maida Owens. |
Ballet Folklorico Nicaragüense perform at the Festival Latino in Baton Rouge sponsored by the Hispanic Apostolate Diocese of Baton Rouge. Photo: Maida Owens. |
Nicaraguan dancers at the Festival Latino in Baton Rouge sponsored by the Hispanic Apostolate Diocese of Baton Rouge. Photo: Maida Owens. |
Conclusion
Latinos are likely to play increasingly important and visible roles in the economy and culture of Baton Rouge and of Louisiana as a whole. This interaction between the cultures of Louisiana and Latin America is not without historical precedent, as Louisiana was once a Spanish colony, and the port of New Orleans saw much interaction with the Caribbean. Two ways that the growing community will continue to express itself--both for its own sake and for outsiders--are through music and dance. These can serve as means of cultural negotiation, where the important work of learning coexistence and acceptance occurs. Irma Farfán Cobb summarizes this point in stating her reason for performing traditional dance, and perhaps it is a sentiment that the community's musicians would share as well: "It's my way to show Baton Rouge that I'm here. So they know that we are here, and we can do a lot of things, and we have a rich culture."
Dominic Bordelon is a graduate student at Louisiana State University. He did this research as part of the New Populations Project in 2009.
