Sinaloa

Location: West coast of México

Dance Genres: Danzas, Sones.

The Sones and Mestizo dances of Sinaloa are very similar to those of its neighboring states of Nayarit and Sonora.  As in Nayarit, many dances of the indigenous groups were constantly changing as a consequence of foreign influences.  First, Spain followed by Germany, Chile, and lastly the African music brought by the slaves on the coasts of Sinaloa.  These dances tend to be really lively and coquettish. The men attempt to attract women through their zapateados (foot work combinations), while women make sensual corporal movements and faldeos (skirt work) to interest men.   The banda is the most typical style of music from the coast of Sinaloa; it is reflective of the combination of European and indigenous music that is now commonly referred to as tamborazo or banda and sounds like very marked, marching band-type music. TA Banda  is composed of more than 30 percussion and wind instruments.  In the same manner, the Tambora, which came from Chile, is also used instead of a Banda.  Among the instruments are: the drum, the clarinet, the saxophone, and the tuba. 

The north western coastal region of Sinaloa is a semi-arid region of Mexico that is lush with vegetation due to the land’s proximity to water. Sinaloa means “River of the Pitahayas”, a cactus fruit. The name of the region brings to mind a land abounding in flora and fauna. This image is exactly what originally attracted indigenous communities and travelers to the region. The particular style of dance from this area of the coast is indicative of a mixing of many cultures.

Many of the songs of Sinaloa are highly energetic and reflect the importance of agriculture and livestock on the people of this area. The dances oftentimes refer to the fertility of the land via songs about nature and the environment, such as in “El Sauce y la Palma”, or the playfulness and vitality of animals, such as in “El Toro Mambo” and “El Novillo Despuntado”. In this suite, Raices de mi Tierra brings to life the vibrance of Sinaloa via a lively interpretation of the courtship and celebrations of its people. The men move with strong and difficult footwork, while the women move smoothly across the dance floor in brightly-colored skirts.

Raices will present their Sinaloa Suite at world famous San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival at the SF Palace of Fine Arts in June 2009.