Kids Talk Back

The Daily Pilot asked students at Whittier Elementary School in Costa

Mesa: What kinds of dances will you perform during the community Cinco de

Mayo celebration Saturday at the school and why is the celebration

important?

“I will be performing La Negra. It comes from Jalisco. I will wear a

white dress with blue and green ribbons. It’s important that we have

these celebrations because the Mexicans won the war against the French

people, and it was just a few Mexicans who did it. So this is important.”

DIANA JIMENEZ, 9

Costa Mesa

“I will do an Aztec dance [from Mexico about the first Indians]. I

have a white dress with brown circles. It’s the first time I will do

this. But I have been practicing sometimes. It’s going to be fun because

we are going to dance on the stage.”

MARIA CUAHUTLE, 7

Costa Mesa

“I am going to do a sword dance [called Los Machetes from Jalisco].

This is the first time. The boys are supposed to impress the girls in the

dance. The girls swing their dresses, and we wave our swords. But it’s OK

because they are wood swords.”

RAUL MARTINEZ, 9

Costa Mesa

“I am going to do an old man dance [called Los Viejitos from

Michoacan]. I wear an old man mask and a hat and a cane. I have to act

like my back is hurting. I know it’s going to be fun because I have done

it before.”

FELIX VILLAVICENCIO, 7

Costa Mesa

“This is the first time I will be doing this dance [called the

Evangelina from Northern Mexico]. I am a little bit nervous. It’s a

cowboy and cowgirl dance. But we danced it once in another school, and it

went well. I think the [event] will be fun because I like dancing. I feel

excited.”

JOANNA CORNEJO, 7

Costa Mesa

“I am a little nervous. This is the first time I will do this dance

[called the Jarabe Tapatio from Jalisco]. My dance is the Mexican Hat

Dance. But it’s important because there will be a lot of people there,

and there will be lots of fun. We have talked a lot about Cinco de Mayo

in my class, so I know it’s good to have these things.”

AIMEE CAMBREROS, 7

Costa Mesa