El Camino concluded the Chicano culture celebration with dancing and live music during the “Mariacho Music and Folklorico Dance” concert in the Haag Recital Hall on Thursday, May 18.

The instruments that the Mariachi used were four violins, two trumpets, two guitars and one ‘Guitarron’ which is like a guitar but is larger and has a six-string acoustic bass.

The audience enjoyed the multiple songs that the Mariachi performed including “Triste Recuerdo,” a famous Mexican song by Antonio Aguilar.

After several songs performed by the Mariachi, Nuestras Raices, a folklorico dance group joined the Mariachi, who played traditional ‘Sones,’ which were “El Gavilan,” and “El Son de la Negra.”

Spanish assistant professor Argelia Andrade, who also is the director of this group said that this is a nonprofit organization based in the city of Gardena.

“We (the group) have been round for 23 years,” Andrade said. “And the main goal besides teaching the children and youth about Mexican music and dance is to learn how to become better learners, so they become professional in all aspects.”

Some of the dancers who performed said they have been dancing almost their whole life.

Alejandro Munive, 16, high school student started dancing folklorico when he was 6 years old.

“it’s important to connect back to your roots, your culture and you want to feel like you part of the culture,” Munive said.

Munive dance partner, Janet Velazquez, 19, undecided major agreed with Munive and she said that they practice a lot before a show.

“For the big shows we practice like five months before a show,” Velazquez said. “It’s not just simply. We actually practice like if we’re going to a show.”

Other dances like Mariana Cerrantes, 18, chicano studies major said that she also prepares herself mentally before every performance.

“I personally think about the song when I go to bed and I dance it in my head,” Cerrantes said.

Mayas Damer, 26, anthropology major was part of the audience said she enjoyed the music and the different dances that were on stage.

“(I enjoyed) the song because you can see the different between the comedy and the seriously love songs,” Damer said.

Andrade added that she is really happy about the outcome of the event. She plans on doing these events again next year because “this is a tradition and (she) thinks students deserved this type of events.”