For this patriotic month, we worked hard to find someone who would represent the Mexican spirit of San Miguel and put our name on high, and boy did we succeed!
The young woman who was passionate about folk dance and who has now become the Founder of the San Miguel Representative Folkloric Ballet, which just turned 50, is representing us on the cover of Local Map in September.
Meet Gloria Rodríguez Navarrete, who, as a teenager, began studying Folkloric Ballet at the El Nigromante Cultural Center, also known as our Bellas Artes, for over a decade.
It was then that the Ballet group emerged, which had the appropriate name “Ballet the Necromancer” and where she met teacher Masha Bello who encouraged her to become a teacher as well.
This dance group gradually gained notoriety, such as in 1978 when they presented the program "Tradiciones de mi Pueblo" at the Ángela Peralta Theater with a very traditional routine of San Miguel dances such as the Baile del Torito or "Concheros" as well as performing monumental mojigangas.
After gaining this notoriety, in 1998, a City Council meeting asked them to change their name to represent the region, as they would begin touring far beyond Guanajuato.
And this dance company has managed to remain united for five decades thanks to Gloria's unbreakable spirit, as well as the utmost dedication of its talented dancers, both those who have been with it for years and those who are new to it.
And although most people struggle at first to learn the famous zapateado, the company teaches them great techniques to relax their legs so they can perform their spectacular and agile movements.
Another extraordinary project Gloria is in charge of, and which has become a tradition over the years, is La Reseña de la Alborada, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.
It turns out that one of the daughters of one of the pioneers of La Alborada showed her discontent at not having her father and companions the due recognition they rightfully deserved, so she sought out Gloria for help.
The ballet director, with due diligence and approval from the ballet director, created La Reseña de la Alborada, which has gradually grown into a massive event with participants from the neighborhoods of La Aurora, La Estación, El Valle del Maíz, and others.
This new tradition, which is basically a reenactment of La Alborada, consists of a fun parade with farces and colorful stars parading through the streets.
La Reseña is ideal for those who can't stay up late at La Alborada but still want to experience the excitement of San Miguel's most important tradition.
And although Gloria and her company have just celebrated the first 50 years of their dance project, she hopes to continue for another 50 years, helped by younger members of her family as well as excellent teachers from other regions.
What Gloria most desires is that her dancers continue preparing and renewing their repertoire as well as that they always continue bringing new proposals to the table and that they remember that the brilliance of one is the brilliance of all and that they must always continue to shine on Saint Michael.
