1996_12 The Daily Collegian December 1996

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LaVoz
de Aztlan
Danzantes to hold special performance Sunday
Photo contributed by Com Danx antes de Aztlan
Luis Hernandez
La Voz stall writer
Have you ever seen Santa
Claus dance to Marimba
Music?
Well, the program Los
Danzantes de Aztlan will
performance to close the
Fall semester won't have it
either. But they will have at
"Chirtmas in Mexico/' are
cuadros from three
different Mexican states,
Los Ninos de Aztlan and
can food drive for the
needy.
"It is a family oriented
program," Miguel Alaniz,
assistant director, said.
The three cuadros, a
group of dances, usually
four from one particular
state or region, will come
from the states of Yucatan,
Chiapas and the Guasteca
region.
Another feature in this
program is the
performance of Los Ninos
de Aztlan, a group of kids
that are taught by members
of Los Danzantes.
"It is kind of a recital for
them," Alaniz said. He
added that the kids eagerly
await this performance
because it is a big trill to
perform in the same
program as Los Danzantes.
Admission to the
program is a contribution to
the can food drive
Danzantes is sponcering.
The donations will go to the
needy people around
Fresno.
This program is the
traditional Christmas party
for the Chicano and Latino
American studies
department. "We are
keeping the tradition alive,"
Alaniz said.
If this program is any
thing like the one Danzantes
had earlier in the semester,
folks showing up to the
"Mexico Fiesta" are
guarantee a good show.
Los Danzantes, along
with other, folkloric groups
from Around Fresno,
performed at William
Saroyan on November 10.
Los Danzantes
performed four cuadros.
They opened with an Aztec
dance called Concheros.
This dance represents the
creation of the cosmos and
the earth. "This is real
strong dance we have,"
Teresa Romo, said.
Up next, Los Danzantes
performed La Huasteaca
Veracruzana. In this
cuadro, or suite, a group of
slaves witnesses a
poisonous snake bit a child.
and in order to save the
child, the slaves have to
dance around it. The
Danzantes showed great
coordination in* their
footwork and were really
clean in their steps.
The Danzantes closed
their perforonance with a
cuadro from Yucatan. This
cuadro included two songs
that . requiered the
Danzantes to use a bottle.
The first one, called botellas,
equiered the performers to
^lace a bottle in top of their
\ead while they danced.
Danzantes continues
on back page
Noche de Hechos filled with Latino politicans
Lizette D. Jenness
La Voz staff writer
The shouts of " Viva! Viva
Bustamante!" rang loudly
through Fresno County
Plaza as newly elected
Assembly Speaker Cruz
Bustamante entered the
room.
Bustamante was joined
by Municipal Court Judge,
Jane Olmos to address the
crowd speaking on issues
affecting Fresno
communities at the
eighteenth annual
celebration of Noches de
Hechos y Unidad.
The focus of the event,
sponsored by El Concilio de
Fresno, was to create
awareness about the steps
that officials will take to
help the Fresno community.
Bustamante stressed the
importance of education,
crime prevention, and job
- stability in Fresno.
Bustamante made
history oh December 2,
when he was officially
appointed as Assembly
Speaker.
Becoming the first
Hispanic to hold the
position Bustamante
didn't take it lightly.
"It has been an
emotional roller coaster for
me. I feel that I have a
responsibility to the people
that I represent and to bring
leadership to the city
council."
Bustamante said he is
proud to have been
selected to hold such a high
office.
" If you work hard and
never give up, you will have
more opuortunities in life."
Jane Olmos is also eager
to start working with other
elected officials to solve
problems in the
communities.
"I would have to travel a
road that had not been
traveled by any other Carina
in Fresno County."
"During the March
primarv some of my
opponents publicly stated
that it was impossible for a
Latina to get elected in
Fresno."
The audience shouted,
"You proved them wrong."
State Assembly member
of the Los Angeles 45th
district,Antonio
Villaraigosa, and Fresno
Board Supervisor, Juan
Arambula also attended.
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