A Taste of Hispania
Darryl April 25th, 2008
One of the secret treasures of the Texas Tropics has to be the La Joya High School for the Performing Arts, set in a small community west of McAllan. Taking in an early evening performance, we were enthralled with the energy and talent of these 16 to 18 year olds.
We had dropped by the high school office earlier in the afternoon to pick up our tickets, and had seen the kids, all of them very ordinary looking in their day-to-day wear. Now they were transformed into storytellers and artists in the stage lights and the mood of the evening.
Having seen posters over the last few months all over the Rio Grande Valley area for performances in other schools and public places, we had been long been anticipating this performance. Costumes and choreography were completely the work of the students and their teachers, and the work put into the performance and its lead up by the teachers and students was huge.
We were in the audience of the fourth of five full performances in their home base theatre, surprisingly developed with its scenery fly visible above the community for miles. By this show, it was obvious that the kids had worked out any kinks and together that evening, they created a great experience.
Traditional dance, singing and costumes, the program took the audience of 600 appreciative locals and snowbirds on a journey through the culture of a dozen areas of the Americas colonized by people of Hispanic origin.
From the viewpoint of a musician, the diverse roots of each different music and dance form were astounding. Ancient native cultures in the South American songs mixed with the range of the provinces of Spain through the Mexican and Baja performances.
The audience - moms, grandfathers, friends, locals and visitors - whistled and yelled at the high points of a song poured out of the heart of girl with an incredible voice, full of expression and soul.
A four piece Tex-Mex band led by a blazing fast accordionist played out complex polka-based dance rhythms. We could not make out the actual text of the Spanish lyrics set into pleading melodies, but judging from the reaction of the young girls in the audience, seemed to be about young restless love.
Dance after dance, song after song, the evening was a journey through every Spanish-influenced culture from 18th century Colombia to Zacatecas Mexico to zoot-suited LA of the forties.
After the performance came to an end, the audience pressed into the lobby of the theatre parents and relatives mingled with their kids, still dressed in whatever their last costume had been. Every father and mother’s heart swelled with pride. The young men strutted in their handsome flamenco and native dress. The girls in their stage makeup and brilliant dresses, bubbled with excitement. School chums milled around them, in awe and respect for the new vitality and sensuousness cast upon their friends by the traditional costumes.
The crowd pushed me into some of the performers and their fans. A young caballero looked to see who had brushed up against him, I said, “What a great performance you gave. Thank you very much. We will always remember it”.
He was very proud of being part of showing how three hundred years of Hispanic culture had maintained a vibrant exciting presence. Casting his eyes down, he was just a young boy again, humbled by the power of what he had just partaken. “Thank you, sir”, he said. A beat passed, then regaining his elation, he turned back to his group.
For a ticket price of $5.00, this incredible high school generated what to us was easily the best entertainment value in Texas, bar none. With no small sense of relief, it also gave us an unforgettable first-hand experience of the rich culture still flowing beneath the fast-food veneer of South Texas.
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Watch a short video of the Foklorico Group of La Joya ISD performing dance, mariachi and conjunto in south Texas: