♪♪ [Samantha Hernandez] Me growing up in Cedar Rapids, I had no idea that this is a thing.

It really builds a sense of community for us.

This makes me feel more attached to and more in tune with my culture and heritage.

It's very creative art form.

♪♪ So, I stomp, heel, toe.

Stomp, heel, toe.

[Samantha Hernandez] So, we are a nonprofit dance group.

We teach traditional Mexican dancing, which is Ballet Folklorico.

♪♪ [Samantha Hernandez] I would describe this type of dance as very colorful, very festive.

♪♪ [Samantha Hernandez] So, it's a lot of different footwork.

There's a lot of different skirt work that's involved too.

Kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick.

Toe, toe, toe, toe.

[Samantha Hernandez] In Mexico, it's like a very big thing for them to do just like in school, so, like as an after-school activity or even just like part of a class, all the way in, all the way in.

[Jocelin Lagunas] Every state has its own dance, and just seeing, like, different states, how they express their own dancing is, like, honestly, really intriguing to me.

♪♪ [Samantha Hernandez] One that we do is, you know, La Costa.

So, it's like the coastal region of Sinaloa.

So, a lot of the skirt movements, they like, sway over, like, almost like waves, kind of.

♪♪ [Jocelin Lagunas] All of our students put in a lot of work.

When you have our girls that combine it with the skirt movements, that takes a lot of work as well.

♪♪ [Jocelin Lagunas] The music is like a very big part.

You can kind of hear the rhythm in it, so you know if it'll be fast or slow.

And you just have to, like, know how to guide yourself through that.

[Stephany Orellana Cruz] This is my second year in this group.

When I was little, I did ballet, and when I moved here, I kind of lost interest in dance for a little bit.

At the start, I was really shy.

I wouldn't smile a lot.

But as I continued on my journey, I started to be more expressive with the way I dance.

I started smiling a lot more.

[Instructor] Cinco, seis, siete, ocho.

[Jasmine Hernandez] It really builds a sense of community for us.

[Jasmine Hernandez] Sometimes we feel scattered throughout Cedar Rapids and to be able to come here and form a community.

Every season, we grow together more and more.

[Emcee] Hello.

Hello.

Hello, everybody.

[Emcee] Thank you for joining us to celebrate Día de los Muertos.

[Emcee] It's gonna be a special night here tonight.

We're gonna, of course, see the talented dancing of Fuerzas Culturales.

And we're also gonna be celebrating Day of the Dead.

[Emcee] So, let's get started.

So, the first state that you'll be seeing is the state of Veracruz.

This is performed by two of our talented teenagers.

♪♪ [Jasmine Hernandez] So, I'm in charge of the costumes, and that can be a big task because I can't just go to Target or Walmart to pick up a new dress.

♪♪ [Jasmine Hernandez] Some of our costumes actually come from Mexico.

♪♪ [Jasmine Hernandez] When I became the costume director, I decided to pick up a sewing machine.

So, a few of them are also made by myself.

♪♪ [Jasmine Hernandez] I want every student who comes through to feel beautiful and proud to be who they are.

And so, I work really hard to acquire the costumes, make sure that they fit them appropriately, because I want them to be on stage and feel like the best version of themselves.

♪♪ [Jasmine Hernandez] I think performances also, again, bolster that idea, that sense of cultural pride.

♪♪ [Jasmine Hernandez] You're out there and you're dancing.

You're giving it your all, and the audience is applauding for you, and you're able to share your culture with them and to feel that positive feedback.

I think it's great.

♪♪ (applause) [Samantha Hernandez] It's exciting to see them get prepared, get ready, and then they're just waiting by the stage until it's their turn, and then they go.

♪♪ [Jocelin Lagunas] You find a lot of pride as a student.

You put all that work in, and then you perform it, and it's like you feel accomplished.

And then, like, as a teacher, I like to see, like, the hard work that we all put in together.

You have everyone in place, and it just puts on a good show.

♪♪ [Jasmine Hernandez] We're just really happy to be able to share our culture with the eastern Iowa community.

♪♪