As of 2023, a new group has been using dance to keep Mexican culture alive at NIU with Ballet Folklórico Aztlán. 

Folklórico is a term that translates to English as ¨folk dance.¨ Folklórico includes several ballet techniques and is highly choreographed and expresses traditional Mexican culture.

¨It was just a few of my friends, we were talking and the topic of folklórico came up, which is a huge passion of mine,” said Alyssa Calderón, director of Ballet Folkórico Aztlán and a senior early childhood education major. 

The Ballet Folklórico Aztlán dance team performs these traditional dances at various events to spread Mexican culture, which is the overall goal of the group.

After that, Calderón started writing the constitution and bylaws for the group, unsure if people would be interested in joining, but hopeful.

¨I just kept chipping away at little details, just how I wanted the group to run, and then just coming from the heart, making sure that the passion and the culture was always there,” Calderón said.

The organization was officially announced in a Spring 2023 Miss Cultura Pageant hosted by Sigma Lambda Beta. The group gained traction, and by May, students were already wanting to audition. 

Currently, there are 35 students involved in Ballet Folkórico Aztlán.

The group has performed at NIU and other public spaces. Their first performance was at the Duke Ellington Ballroom at the Holmes Student Center during a showcase called “Esencia de México” where they performed for around 500 people. 

The group mostly performs wherever they are requested, Calderón said. Their biggest performance was for the Rockford IceHogs hockey team, where there were roughly 7,000 to 8,000 people. 

A large part of the performances is the choreography, which is split up between Calderón and the team captains. The team makes sure to remain very traditional. 

The team is composed of dancers from different backgrounds. Some have trained for years, while others are taking the opportunity to learn Folkórico now. 

The team practices twice a week with more practices when there is a performance coming up. The group holds two auditions a year, one at the beginning of fall and one at the end of spring.

¨I would ask for people who are very committed, but also if you’re willing to learn, and you give me your time, I’m willing to work with you,” Calderón said.

Calderón wants the dance team to promote Mexican heritage.

¨It’s something that I hold very close to me,” Calderón said. “Just seeing how vibrant and beautiful our heritage is, bringing that to NIU is just a big step.¨

The next performance for Ballet Folkórico Aztlán will be at the Miss Cultura Pageant at 7 p.m. Nov. 22 in Altgeld Hall.