The Latino social media dance enthusiasts inspiring bailes for a new generation

As I delve into this vibrant world of Mexican dance and music, I find myself transported back to my youthful days, swaying to the rhythm of cumbia and quebradita. Growing up in Southern California, I was fortunate enough to witness the infectious energy that these dance styles brought to our community.

Most Thursdays, Danny Ramirez kicks off his weekly regimen: getting a new haircut, trimming his beard, and polishing his boots. However, it’s not because he’s planning a date or going out with friends.

Every weekend, before he attends Mexican dance gatherings known as bailes, the 31-year-old follows a tradition. His role at these events is to captivate dancers by performing mesmerizing norteño dance moves, spinning across the floor in close, spontaneous embraces with fellow partygoers. This popular TikTok personality from Sylmar is contributing to the increasing popularity of bailes, drawing in new and younger audiences with his graceful dancing style.

“We are there to lift the atmosphere,” Ramirez said.

At various locations nationwide, crowds of women queue up to dance with Ramirez, whose captivating partner-spinning to Norteño-sax tunes has amassed him over half a million TikTok followers, primarily enthusiastic young dancers seeking to learn fresh dance steps.

Dance clubs and studios strive to attract some of their large online audience by treating social media dance influencers just like they would treat the headlining norteño or banda artists of the evening. These influencers are frequently featured in promotional materials, even sharing the stage with performers.

Ramirez stated, ‘A lot of individuals accompany us to various cities. In essence, we provide attendees with an additional incentive to participate in these events.’

For Ramirez, a fervent admirer of musical theater who once competed as a cheerleader, moving to the U.S. from Zacatecas, Mexico three years ago was like chasing a dream for a better life. Since he committed himself wholeheartedly to content creation, he has essentially transformed into a dance sensation, with event organizers frequently inviting him to dance events in over 25 states, such as Kansas, Tennessee, and South Carolina.

Ramirez expressed his hope that our collective efforts would reach every nook and cranny of the United States, making our community take pride in our rich Mexican culture.

Venues like the Palacio Event Center in New Castle, Delaware, which are recognized for hosting influencers to attract dancers to their parties, have been typically found in a region where Latinos constitute fewer than 10% of the overall populace.

Edwin Velasco, a marketer at the Palacio Event Center, noticed that certain individuals received an enormous amount of focus or recognition on social media platforms,” is one way to paraphrase it.

In college, Velasco studied business administration. His ambition was to pack his dance hall. Noticing that other nearby venues were selling out when they brought in social media personalities for their events, he chose to contact popular influencers instead. He then started advertising these influencers on eye-catching posters, highlighting the main norteño or banda act of the evening as well.

Velasco, at 24 years old, commented that once we began inviting influencers, we noticed an increase in a more youthful audience. Interestingly enough, I often observe some of my friends attending with their parents. It’s quite enjoyable,” Velasco shared.

As a movie enthusiast, I can personally attest that social media plays a significant role in igniting my passion for concerts. A 2023 study by Live Nation revealed that nearly 9 out of 10 live music-goers concur – witnessing live music content on social media piques their curiosity and encourages them to attend shows. Imagine, capturing a selfie with a popular TikTok dancer at a lively norteño band concert, it’s like an unexpected perk for baile attendees!

Velasco mentioned, “It’s similar to inviting a minor star to a nightclub. They receive a great deal of attention, with countless views in the hundreds or even millions, so people are eager to catch a glimpse.

2021 marked my debut at the enchanting world of baile, but as a seasoned dancer, I found myself swiftly adapting to the rhythm. Little did I know that this dance floor journey would catapult me into the limelight, amassing over 705,000 TikTok followers in its wake. My captivating performances, punctuated by my radiant grin and shimmering ensembles, set me apart from the crowd. In stark contrast, Norteño dancers often maintain a more stoic expression and opt for simpler, less ostentatious western garments.

However, the concept of jetting off to various locations for weekend parties to publicize them seemed intimidating at first to the Los Angeles resident, who held down a regular role as an assistant bank manager and regarded her social media videos merely as a pastime.

Goodwin stated, “This was something different – promoters were bringing in folks from various regions for these dance events. I won’t be taking time off work for this.

After going on weekend trips to places like Florida and Illinois, she managed to pay off her car loan rather swiftly. This led the 27-year-old to decide to leave her job at the bank. Ever since then, she’s been fully booked for weekends.

People who feel comfortable enough to take the lead during a dance, including some who were once kids, frequently capture footage of these events and share it on their personal social media platforms, seeking engagement in the form of views and likes.

Many young people are active on platforms such as TikTok, and it seems they’ve been motivated by us to attend dance events, or ‘bailes’,” she stated.

Goodwin finds it delightful to see that her once-embarrassed chambelanes are now dancing enthusiastically at quinceañeras, just as she does herself with the lively huapango dance. This upbeat, bouncy style of norteño music, characterized by a quick rhythm and an alternating two-step, sometimes accompanied by a hip roll, can be danced either in pairs or solo. Goodwin has become proficient at this dance form.

Goodwin stated, ‘This is an enjoyable pastime that’s beneficial for their health.’ He explained, ‘It prevents them from hanging out on the streets or being couch potatoes at home, glued to their electronic devices.’

David Cruz, proprietor of Fairytale Dance, a dance studio in Santa Fe Springs specializing in quinceañera choreography since 2008, opines that social media personalities are shaping the contemporary dance scene.

Cruz mentioned that whatever fashion or style influencers demonstrate in their videos, that’s the trend people aim to replicate.

This year, our dance instructor has been conducting complimentary weekly huapango classes every week, catering to teenagers. The surge in community interest has prompted him to do so. As many of his quinceañera clients have asked for huapango, tribal, or banda choreography, he also uses these sessions as an opportunity to identify potential male dancers among the participants, whom he may consider for his dance company.

38-year-old finds themselves reminiscing, having grown up amidst the craze for quebradita which swept across Southern California dance floors during the early ’90s, characterized by difficult twists and writhing footwork. This style, now resurfacing as young people strive to create their unique expression, was once a staple of dance floors.

Teens are sharing videos of them dancing the huapango at rodeos (jaripeos), stated Cruz. Nowadays, students can be seen wearing cowboy boots (botas) and traditional Texan attire like tejanas and starched denim to school.

At the age of seven, Cruz was a member of the dance troupe called El Sheriff de Chocolate, which took its name from a Bronco-inspired song about a captivating candy universe. On weekends, Cruz would exhibit his spins or jumps in competitions against various quebradita groups, each with their unique dance styles and dress codes, at homes, halls, and warehouses scattered throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.

As a teenager, Ricardo Contreras shared that he once ridiculed those who appreciated banda music. However, his perspective changed after attending a party where he noticed many attractive women. Subsequently, he purchased his own boots and hat to embrace this genre of music.

Through the ages and on the dance floor, Cruz ponders if there’s a lingering charm. Perhaps, by twirling a partner gracefully, one might also win their heart.

Using these dancing styles, it’s possible for teens to obtain their dance partner’s contact information once they have mastered the art of dancing,” Cruz explained.

Cruz is hoping that the young people’s enthusiasm for dancing (bailes) will continue, particularly following the dip in popularity after the ’90s, which was referred to as a post-quebradita lull.

During the ’90s up until around the early 2010s, there was a decline in people feeling comfortable expressing their Mexican identity, according to Cruz. However, nowadays it’s incredibly exciting to observe individuals casually donning tejanas and botas at the mall on any given day.

Glossary

• Bailes: Mexican dance gatherings, typically held with live music in large venues such as the Pico Rivera Sports arena
• Jaripeos: a Mexican rodeo with live music and animals, often outdoors.
• Norteñas (music): A Mexican ballad, similar to a polka with guitars, a totoloche and accordion originating from the northern Mexican states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. A popular subgenre is norteño-sax music, which includes the saxophone as its centerpiece (made popular by Conjunto Primavera).
• Norteñas (dance): A swaying two-step with a slight knee bounce that follows the bass in norteña music (created by the totoloche instrumentation).
• Huapango: A fast and bouncier norteño groove with an alternating two-step and an occasional hip roll that can be done paired or solo. The move derives from Huasteco music, which originated in the Gulf of Mexico region in such states as Veracruz, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi but has been incorporated into norteño dancing as well.
• Quebradita: A series of back-bending spins or springs that can be done solo or with a partner.
• Banda music: brass-heavy, woodwind (clarinet) instrumentation from Sinaloa (Banda el Recodo, for example)
• Cumbia banda (cumbia norteñas): A subgenre of banda that often includes keyboard, synthesizer or banda (Grupo Frontera, for example)
• Tribal: a synthy, technobanda beat with cumbia and banda originating from Mexico City (think extremely long pointy boots) (3BallMTY, for example)

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2024-09-19 18:32