An effort is underway to make Folklorico dance an official class at Cesar Chavez High School. Two people, Alejandra Ibarra Guzman and Everyn Vargas Ortiz, have created a ballot to do so. They hope to get 300 signatures on the ballot, and they hope that Cesar Chavez High School will make it an official subject.
Students can go to E123, where Ms. Calderon can give them information, and Everyn can provide an information email about the potential class. Additionally, since the Folklorico club meets every Wednesday after school in E123, people can go there to sign the petition for the class.
Students want it as an official classroom for several reasons. One is that Franklin already has a Folklorico class, and Stockton has a sizeable Hispanic population. Another is that people could also learn to dance in Mexican culture.
Another reason is that it could be an elective or a P.E. class. It requires physical endurance, like arm movement, cardio, and core strength. It could also have boys join the class to learn about the Folklorico style, with most of the club members being girls.
One student in the Folklorico club who wants it to be an official class says, “Because it’s different, and it would be nice to show off more culture to our school.” Ms. Alvarez, who signed the petition, says, “Having ballet Folklorico as a class would be amazing for our students. Sometimes, students cannot stay after school for clubs, and making ballet Folklorico a class would make more students want to join. Ballet Folklorico is also a great way to show Mexican culture, and students can participate.”
Ms. Calderon also said, “Having a ballot Folklorico class would be great for our Chavez students. It would help students learn about their culture and appreciate our Mexican traditions. It would also open more opportunities to students looking to take elective classes and are considering a career.”
Having Folklorico as a class would be a new opportunity for people who want to do Folklorico.