Los Mejicas, a student run dance group, is bringing to life traditional dance forms from Latin America. The Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas 53rd Annual Spring Show, which takes place on the last weekend in May, combines dance forms from six regions in Mexico for an artful and ingenious performance.
Only seven years younger than the University of California, Santa Cruz itself, Los Mejicas is the longest operating folklorico group in the UC system. “We need to be reminded that we’re here and we’re here to stay,” says Juliette Artieda, a fourth-year double majoring in psych and education who helped direct this year’s production. “We’re celebrating something very beautiful and something that, in these times, needs to be celebrated.”
Artieda and her co-director, Camila Mier, broke from the traditional use of a script and storyline for their annual production, instead hoping to embrace a wider range of diversity of their dance traditions. The pair are also choreographing the section on Veracruz. The other regions being highlighted are: Michoacan, Nuevo Leon, Sinaloa Mestizo, Yucatan, and Zacatecas.
As both a group and through their upcoming performance, Los Mejicas foster a sense of community and solidarity for Mexican and Latinx members of campus. It is one of the many cultural groups on campus dedicated to serving underrepresented groups and providing a sense of community.
“There’s not a super big Latino community here, so it can feel pretty isolating,” says Artieda. Her desire for community led her to join Los Mejicas her freshman year, and connect with people from similar backgrounds. Artieda herself knew little of her Mexican roots before she came to UC Santa Cruz. Her mother is Mexican-American, but during her childhood she learned more about her Ecuadorian roots from her father who is an immigrant. She’s been dancing her whole life, but Los Mejicas helped her embrace her Mexican background through traditional dance forms.
This year’s theme volando al latido de nuestraises translates to dancing to the rhythm of our roots or more directly flying to the beat of our hearts. Members of Los Mejicas come from a variety of backgrounds both national and international, and embracing their roots has become increasingly important in trying times. “Obviously times are pretty tough right now, especially with the new administration which has caused a lot of issues that directly affect the Latino community,” says Artieda. “We really want to spread awareness and show that celebrating our culture is a form of resistance.”
May 30 & 31, 2025
7:30 PM
Theater Arts Mainstage
UC Santa Cruz
411 Kerr Road
Santa Cruz, California 95064
Tickets to be announced – more information: arts.ucsc.edu/events