Maestro Isidro Salas tells his story of barriers and breakthroughs sharing Mexican culture through spectacular innovations in ballet folklorico. Follow his company Compania Folklorica Alegria Mexicana (https://www.facebook.com/Compa%C3%B1ia-Folklorica-Alegria-Mexicana-CFAM-150110105187444) on Facebook.
DanceTalks with Isidro Salas: Full Transcript
Hosted by Andrea Cody, Director of Dance Houston. Originally released October 5, 2020. This transcript was generated automatically and may contain small errors.
Andrea [0:00]: Hello and welcome to DanceTalks. I'm here Andrea Cody. Today is October 1st 2020 and my guest is Maestro Isidro Salas. He is the Artistic Director and Founder of Compañía P, Glórica Allende de Mexicana and he's joined today by his translator Hugo Bailino which is the production coordinator from Mecca. Maestro Salas, bienvenidos a DanceTalks. Gracias Andrea. Thank you so much for talking with us today. I'm really excited to share your story. It's fascinating. Yes. So please take us from the very, from the very beginning, how you came to dea, I thought it was just going to be from here today. I'm sorry.
Shall we start over? You want to answer again? Yes, answer again. Can you take one? I really started at your eight years old. school, first school. So then I was started at 12 years old, in middle school. I got more interested in the cultures of the Mexicans, the dances, our roots, our culture, our culture, our traditions,, and the Mexicans. And the Mexican roots wonderful, so where did you see dance happen in your hometown? From there, it caught my attention and started going more deep into the Mexican roots in, baleen. Passando, ya la edad secundaria, ingresé al bale en folklórico, estampas After finishing with middle school, I started with the est, estampas mexicanas, baleen folklórico.
I started there with a bassist and then from there I started getting more and more knowledge with my of Mexican dance. And there, there was an institute for this. Like a college? So it's an institute with all the teachers,???????, how we go and learn from the little? Did you go? And how long did it take?..
Isidro Salas [5:10]: Alrededor de cuantos lugares visitó y cuanto se tardó? Eh,
Andrea [5:14]: Bueno en la asociación se hace una convocatoria. Para asistir, por ejemplo, a guerrero R, o e prácticamente, tenemos una semana de con todos los maestros, So we know everything, what they use, what we eat, what they dance, what's their a vestiment, or a vestiment, or a vestiment. like the big feathers that they put me Brutal part And so this is, I understand after eight years of training, that you got the opportunity So was it a career or was it something you had to pay to do it, a little part of it just to and how to put it on my own you take your roots to Italy You cannot explain taking your roots to another place that they have a different view of us to Italy and taking what we are When you see that they announce in Mexico It's a great pleasure to…, they give us the opportunity to share our traditions.
When you hear your name and then you just gotta show the world what are we doing. y hasta la fecha a la historia, y hasta la historia, pues de ahí me estoy muy criando. Y hasta la fecha, y hasta la historia,, pues de ahí me estoy muy criando. I They needed that, too, Chihuahua. We have this Sierra mountains. and they're indigenous people, really indigenous people. So from there. We got to really know them. They showed the dance, the rarra,, what was really the meaning of it. Because we talked to people. And Costumes, they do it by Tam from everything from their resources so they show it Shoes. It's that they really knew what we're doing they
Isidro Salas [13:26]: They offer you, they give you, they share.
Andrea [13:35]: Yeah, it was mutual, the sharing, the happiness of it being together. to us.
Isidro Salas [13:54]: To learn that people, humility and yes.
Andrea [13:58]: How humble they were from learning to them. That was very beautiful. That was really beautiful. Why do they dance? Why do they dance? First of all, this is personal, it's a feeling. Why do they dance? They are us. Why? Who does it dance? Yeah, so I'm, I'm curious.- Yes, like often when you visit a place in Mexico, they may have like a festival, you know, when the people dance. And it's from the tourists. But in these very rural places, are their tourists, are they, Is there an audience or are they just dancing one after another? For culture, for tradition. de nuestros antepasados, our roots, we believe in God so it was for that it was our roots are He says he's always taken it to the next.
say or consider it himself professional I guess because of where we can say,
Part 2 (17:05)
Isidro Salas [17:05]: We grab tables, we grab experience as a dancer,
Andrea [17:09]: I really got into my master's in Mexico,
Isidro Salas [17:14]: Seeing how they were cooking, the dress,ing, how they were developing choreography,
Andrea [17:23]: How was what was the ability to be able to do the artillery,
Isidro Salas [17:32]: He says that maybe it was a whole time that he was with the Magisterial, with his instructor and he. He also took the opportunity to learn how to make the costumes, all kinds of things from headpieces, hats, knives, everything that was used
Andrea [17:48]: For the folklórico. And what 95. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I don- to where there's like performing arts where they… can convey more artistic and presentation of that nature. Where it's not by making maybe louder colors, maybe more We have to make it a little more scenic for the community, for the community, for where we are.
Isidro Salas [19:55]: And he says he's taught them the basics of the traditional, and he's also taught them how to go ahead and evolve, make it where the public is more interested
Andrea [20:16]: Are you talking about here? Yes. Yeah. So where do you, where did you go and when?
Isidro Salas [20:28]: Where do you think it started? In general. It's been decades and maybe centuries where the gods would, they would dance to them and that's exactly where it originated when the people would dance to them, they would dance to them, they would dance to them, they would dance to the people would dance because of I think it was a place, a parade that they did here, that they did what they did in September. So I saw folk dances, and that's where I was born, the intention of coming to the United States and then to create something, for the youth, from the children, so that they stay, And I have been here for 20 years and I believe that the purpose has been achieved a little.
It has been very fruitful. Okay. One time that he came here to the United States and he was invited to perform at Ripley House and at that time he got the idea of making a parade or things of that nature to that involved folklorico so that it could bring
Andrea [22:42]: All the students together and interest them in that. Wow.
Isidro Salas [22:48]: And so how did you start your company? Coba, how did you start your company? Bueno, ya una vez estando aquí yo llegué en el 2000 y fue prácticamente al mes cuando, es hora de empezar. Si vine a trabajar voy a trabajar It was in 2000 that he got here and he talked to himself and said, if I'm here, I'm going to do this. And I began at that time with just one dancer. And it was difficult, he didn't just do a dance on their front porch.
Andrea [23:49]: Well, so tell me a little bit
Isidro Salas [23:57]: About your luck. I was lucky in question that I went to the theater a thousand times and I went to have an expectation that Malernandese would come. I met Sonat who was the one who made the programs for May 5th. that he invited him to come and see the group and he would ask him, and who are you? Where do you come from? So he came, and we were practicing at that time at Ripley House on Wayside. And he was very amazed. He said, this, is algo que debe presentarse en el Miller, this is something that should be presented at Miller para mí el Había todo lo mismo primera vez y había grupos que tenían 10 15, 15 años atrás de mí y era nuevo y de ahí para el real empezó Ya nuestro nuestra proyección como compañía and he was very proud to be able to perform at the middle of the eighth to where he, you know, We're here to be in the show.
No you're I know you're not. She said she had the same thing going on with the group. She said she was going to introduce herself.
Andrea [26:54]: She said no, you can't introduce yourself. Yeah. However, at Discovery and Green, you're more open and there's no backstage. It's a very easy environment to just say, oh yeah, you're on in five. You know, that's great. Come on up. Miller has maybe more strict security. Oh yes.
Isidro Salas [27:24]: And it was ironic that the same guy that had told him no, you cannot present yourself here, to perform. Wonderful. So,
Andrea [27:45]: Where did you first perform here? En donde se presentó la primera vez. Ya como as a
Isidro Salas [27:52]: Company in the Teatro Mila. At the Miller., about the show. Dile acerca del show. Bueno. Yo creo que entramos con el Piedrecho porque no me I la esper esperaba con el Me. Mariachi del Mundo. Vale, Mariachi Tecalitlán. He says he started with the right book because he didn't expect to perform Mariachi in It was just very, very, a lot of pride to know that we made our own costumes and that we're going to present at the miller theater with that mariachi something that words can't explain. What piece did you do the viales presentamos Jalisco. Jalisco son bailes tradicionales de México Veracruz y Nuevo León.
Traditional dances from Mexico Jalisco Veracruz and Nuevo León. Y ahí duramos prácticamente de esa From that performance for five years, consecutively, we performed there. Awesome. But then they changed the board of directors and things kind of changed. So
Part 3 (30:01)
Andrea [30:01]: That's why we were not able to perform there.
Isidro Salas [30:03]: Their board of directors is appointed by the mayor. So it does change.
Andrea [30:12]: So, when I first heard about you, I heard that you performed on the Latin Grimmys. Would you please tell us about that experience?
Isidro Salas [30:39]: Pude cambiar la vida puede cambiar le las memorias a los niños que vivieron esa experiencia de sentirse en los Latin Grammys a un nivel profesional entonces ese es mi gusto
Andrea [30:52]: A pesar de que yo haya
Isidro Salas [30:55]: Tenido ciertas cosas he says he was very proud to see his dancers be able to participate in show of that magnitude and that it's made history for them for them something that they will remember and
Andrea [31:08]: That they wouldn't otherwise have experience.
Isidro Salas [31:16]: Would you like for them to talk about the experience of the ammo when they did?
Andrea [31:21]: Well, how did you get there? I mean, how did they just call you up?
Isidro Salas [31:26]: How did you get there? Did they just call you up? The person that contacted him just told him that he needed a choreography from such minute to so many seconds and that it was going to be to participate there. And they asked him to create the program all related to Mexico as far as sequence and steps and all of that. They promised him certain pay and that the dancers were going to have certain guarantees and certain places that were going to be put like on flyers and things of that nature. And he was very excited, not so much because of the payment, but
Andrea [33:09]: For the experiences that
Isidro Salas [33:11]: All these dancers were going to have and go through. And he says that things can be done. And he felt that it can be done when you really want to do it. As I got closer, all the promised pay and other things
Andrea [33:38]: Have started to fall back to kind of disappear.
Isidro Salas [33:42]: But that didn't make him want to withdraw. He still wanted to continue because of the dancers.
Andrea [33:48]: He wanted them to experience everything.
Isidro Salas [34:06]: He doesn't know why that person did that. He knew who Isidro was artistically.
Andrea [34:11]: He's just not sure, he's just not sure why he acted that way, but it
Isidro Salas [34:26]: Was not makes feelings at the time, but it just made him stronger and here he is. Yeah, I mean,
Andrea [34:34]: You're certainly in good company. I think this happens a lot because we're so intrinsically motivated to dance, to perform and to share that we're not doing it for the money?
Isidro Salas [34:46]: There are a lot of things that happen because when people have the passion and all of that they do it a lot of times not for the money. Practically I feel that a person
Andrea [34:57]: Who has the way,
Isidro Salas [35:02]: Let's say a company that has money, everyone buys it, everyone brings it, everyone buys it, it's easy, but for a person like nosotros. Yo creo que nos da la fuerza para crear.
Andrea [35:19]: Y esa es la parte que a nosotros no,
Isidro Salas [35:22]: A mí la persona no me tumba. Yo soy persona que batalla un poquito, pero eso me da la fuerza para crear. He says that a lot of companies have, everything's available to them, the money, the costumes, everything comes easily. And to him it's kind of difficult, but that's what gives
Andrea [35:41]: Rent and the ideas and to create to how do I do this or how do I invent this or how can I make this work with the same results or even better. All right. Awesome. So that's part of your creative process,
Isidro Salas [35:55]: Problem-solving process. Cool. So tell me about what happened when you got there. Did you confront the person who's supposed to pay you? No, Okay, he is saying that he, is saying that the day of the event that the That same gentleman told him that he could not go in because they were requiring a government issued ID.
Andrea [37:46]: And this was a world event and that he needed a government issued ID.
Isidro Salas [37:52]: So at that time, his dancers decided and told the
Andrea [37:56]: People there that they would not let him in. And he said he,
Isidro Salas [38:02]: At that time, the gentleman asked him, OK, you can go ahead and go down, but you're going to go to
Andrea [38:06]: The basement and you're going to watch it from the TVs there., and then ten minutes before the performance he came and took the dancers and he just had to a stay there and watch from there.
Isidro Salas [38:17]: He could not be up there with the dancers. He could not be up there with the dancers. And he says that he really wanted them to show their talent, that they are the ones with the talent, that he just polishes them like a diamond. That's how he feels. So he wanted them to feel that excitement.
Andrea [39:03]: So he didn't let the other part bother him because his main concern was his dancers and how happy and excited they were. Would you have performed?
Isidro Salas [39:16]: Que si usted hubiera bailado? With him? Que si yo hubiera bailado. If he would have been… Was he in the performance? No, he was not. He was never. Yeah, yeah.
Andrea [39:28]: Solamente me hizo que criara los bailes,
Isidro Salas [39:33]: Que pusiera el vestu, todo. They just asked him to do the choreography
Andrea [39:39]: And the costumes and everything else. And the other choreographer is the one that took payment for the whole thing. And- Was it your, was it your company?
Isidro Salas [39:48]: Where, were you choreographing on your dancers from? Yes, from Compañez y Clórica. Ah,
Andrea [39:55]: Wow. And your dancers were volunteering?
Isidro Salas [39:58]: Well, at one point they were gonna be paid,
Andrea [40:01]: But then it ended up- I mean, at that point- Yeah, at that point it was-
Isidro Salas [40:04]: A los bailarines si les, les pagaban. Ah, si, les pagaron ellos?
Andrea [40:10]: Oh, they did get paid. Oh, they did get paid. Yeah, so the dancers were to give a percentage to him but at the end nobody really gave him anything.
Isidro Salas [40:48]: I'm here still standing and working. Yes. And that dance company is still performing, however, they don't have their own dancers. Sometimes they have to borrow one from here, another dancer from there.
Andrea [41:25]: They don't have a strong company. maybe because money is easy for them so it
Isidro Salas [41:40]: Reminds me of just when your dancers
Andrea [41:45]: Were on the cover of the Houston Chronicle in the city the lifestyle section. It's a big photo and it just said dancers bringing in the nice cool fall weather. And in this case it was you know this fusion of Colombian and Mexican dance and the Mexican dance It's like magic, it just appears, you know, no credit.
Isidro Salas [42:21]: Yeah, dice que hace cuenta que fue como la magia, pero no se le dio crédito.
Andrea [42:25]: Si, si, si, si, si, si,
Isidro Salas [42:30]: No se si algún día viva el video que está en YouTube. This is if you ever saw the video that's on YouTube. No, for the Latin Grammys?
Andrea [42:38]: Oh no, I'll totally check it out. We'll put a link to it too.
Isidro Salas [42:41]: Okay, le va a poner un link ahí. Si. inclusive el como directores a veces hay a
Andrea [42:49]: Cierto celo como el la parte que
Isidro Salas [42:54]: Hicimos era con María. Chivarca era un cantante este colombiano
Andrea [42:59]: Y hacía estaba
Isidro Salas [43:01]: Colombia en méxico y el bálforo colombiano pues hizo su trabajo y en cierto And he says that since, you know, it's pretty common to have jealousy between dance companies. The singer that was singing live, which is a singer from Colombia, was singing and at
Andrea [43:34]: A certain minute or seconds,
Isidro Salas [43:38]: They were supposed to pick up the curtains for his company to
Andrea [43:41]: Come out and they purposely took ten seconds longer. But
Isidro Salas [43:53]: When it finally picked up the curtains, the audience just exploded. It
Andrea [43:58]: Was like it made it a bigger impact when they heard the Mexican dancers.
Isidro Salas [44:11]: And it's just an emotion that you can feel and see
Andrea [44:15]: When the Mexican dancers come out. Right. Could you feel it through the walls or only on the TV from the basement?
Isidro Salas [44:35]: All that pride of the mariachi band and the clapping and hollering. and things. You could feel it. So, then they mixed. First it was Colombia, then Mexico, then Mexico, and then they both danced together
Andrea [44:58]: Towards the end of the song. Yeah, something that you can't describe.
Part 4 (45:08)
Isidro Salas [45:08]: It was very, very emotional. No, when you dance together, were you side by side or were you like together or was it Lado a lado cuando bailaron juntos estaban revuelto su lado a lado No, empezó Colombia como vamos a decir un minuto Colombia started with one, one minute Y luego otros otro minuto solas Y luego en el último minuto se hicieron mix bailaron Colombia con México Y luego se separaron y luego otra vez y luego ya se juntaron los Okay, he says that they mix and then separate and then mix together Did you practice together?
Andrea [45:38]: Practicaron juntos nunca no
Isidro Salas [45:42]: Perdón mi trabajo yo nunca vi al balfork colombiano he never saw their work yo practicaba mi grupo entonces
Andrea [45:52]: El director de balfork
Isidro Salas [45:56]: Torico colombia me dijo necesito que vengas dos días antes
Andrea [46:00]: A mi estudio para
Isidro Salas [46:12]: Yeah, two days prior to the event, he went to their place of practice and he asked them to stay aside because the other choreographer was the one that was going to mix them. That's one way to do a fusion.
Andrea [46:27]: Yes, but it was different creative process. Wow, yeah, being left out and having your dance company unwilling to perform reminds me of when the south was segregated. Ella Fitzgerald would not perform if her dancers would not be allowed to eat in the ballroom. and they had to have their own table and they would dance but if they weren't allowed into the ballroom she wouldn't perform.
Isidro Salas [47:03]: Dice que eso lo recuerda cuando hubo la segregación de, yo creo, de la gente de color que no dejaban, si no dejaban entrar a sus bailarines o sea, aunque estuvieran
Andrea [47:23]: Power. Right. Right. That fusion wouldn't have looked the same if it was missing your dancers. It's difficult. Yeah. -. -. Pero pues aquí seguimos, seguimos trabajando,
Isidro Salas [47:36]: Y de ahí pues de The Latin Grammys vinieron ya cosas mejores, tuvimos dos presentaciones en Nueva York, en Nueva York nos entregaron las llaves de la ciudad, después fuimos a Washington, regresamos de Washington, después tuvimos aquí lo de los parques de Ines que cada año se hace, vinieron They have done a, they have done a phenomenal job. They went to Washington and for a couple of performances into New York, they got the keys of the city. Then they went to Monterey, Mexico, also been going to Florida to the Disney, performing at Disney every year, todos los años, ¿no? Y sobre todo, pues, el trabajo, yo creo que la oportunidad de que nos ha dado de, en Houston, de poder, de esas presentaciones en el Gordon, que para mí era, era, me ponía fórico, me ponía como en total para poder hacer un buen trabajo.
And not to mention the opportunities that were given by Dan Houston to perform at the, Wardham. He would just get very excited and he just wanted to do a great job He could feel the audience. It was just very emotional that he could feel it turned on.
Andrea [49:16]: Yeah. My appreciation of ballet folklorico really went through the roof when I first saw your company. Yeah.
Isidro Salas [49:22]: Dice que su apreciación del ballet folklorico fue demasiado cuando vio su compañía. Yo le voy a hacer una pregunta, ahora yo la voy a entrevistar.
Andrea [49:31]: No, he's going to interview you. Ah, ok. No, el trabajo de los grupos de ballet folklorico que ha visto cuál es la diferencia. De los otros grupos de ballet. De los otros grupos que ha participado con Dennis Houston. What is the difference with the other folklorical groups that have performed for Dance Houston? The difference between Compañía Folclórica and them? I'll say at first the first one I remember was the Bormejico with Patricio Estorga and they were beautiful, very a balletic, very, very nice. So I didn't know much It was my introduction, I didn't have a lot of knowledge, I mean maybe I had seen it at a festival, but you know just and I didn't get to know the artist and watch the work and see their process and you know so that was really the first one and then I saw you and fell in love.
And then I met, I mean, I met up with you at Ripley House for an interview with Univision and you demonstrated some steps to the host. And I tried to do it and this finally I realized like how difficult it was. I started listening not just looking because it's so beautiful so once I realized that it had these rhythms and it was also a tap dance that's when I was like oh this dance is really rich you know Yeah, so I don't, I haven't analyzed that richness much. I just know that I'm always so drawn into your work and intrigued And in a tank like really light it I think the thing that makes you I mean from for me the thing that makes your company is so unique is special is the character and the conviction of your dancers they have so much pride and force and they also have something they have a personality you know I can recognize them like I see who they are I get there they have a I don't know each person you know it's like something fun to watch I've watched your videos over and over again and it's like I'll enjoy really watching like the individual performance that I think you give them a lot of license to express themselves and it's not just about, you know, doing steps and showing off a big scar.
I mean, it's a huge, huge difference.
Isidro Salas [52:40]: There are a lot of groups here in Houston and I admire and respect every one of them.
Andrea [52:47]: They all have their own style. And I will always respect their style. But my work is scenic. More performing arts. Yeah, he made some very creative choices too, the hat, the
Isidro Salas [53:08]: Love, that word, where did you come from?
Andrea [53:21]: First he was inspired by the invitation, he thought that he could do something different.
Isidro Salas [53:29]: And that was the opportunity to say, this is Alegria Mexicana. He says he was thinking, I have to dance Veracruz, but before I can make any changes, I ask my director, and sometimes my director doesn't agree with me, but
Andrea [54:06]: That's how I wanted to get changes.
Isidro Salas [54:21]: He'll ask him, I want to do this with these big flowers, and he'll say, oh, okay,
Andrea [54:25]: I do have something of his like I got that from him
Isidro Salas [54:36]: Of the tradition And the others that are traditional, they kind of went like, wow,
Andrea [55:08]: With criticism that because to them you can't change a flower the size or the color or anything of that nature. So they were not very happy with that. what happens is that I have the bases, I know what I'm doing, my work is scenic, he said, and it will work, I said, I do what I feel, I transmit what I feel on in and
Isidro Salas [55:42]: I feel that my work in terms of
Andrea [55:46]: Steps, of choreography is very scenic y por qué no ponerle una flor roja, dijo, muy bien, pero siempre y cuando respetando bases. Yeah,
Isidro Salas [56:00]: And he says that why, he asks, why can I not do a big red flower? And his instructor said,
Andrea [56:05]: Well, yes, that's fine. As long as you do respect the basics and don't totally change it. I think it's fun to see your creativity. You're an artist and you're a lifesaver.
Isidro Salas [56:19]: And that's why it's more of a performing art, not so much traditional Folklórico. It's a combination. Right. Where does Valley Folklórico get its name? ¿De dónde saca Valet Folklórico su nombre? Bueno,
Andrea [56:33]: Mi nombre es Compañá Folklórica Alegria Micana. Valet, en los grupos, en México,
Isidro Salas [56:40]: Vamos a decirlo, hay grupos, debería ser grupo de danza. Ah. But when it comes to ballet, it's because the dancers are already trying, this,
Andrea [56:53]: Technical school of jazz, contemporary jazz, is there to pass on the name of ballet. Okay, the differences I guess, from the tradition, is like when dancers have taken ballet lessons, it's that other style that's integrated to it, that kind of changes it, and that's what makes the difference between ballet So it is a fusion. It's not down to the ego.
Isidro Salas [57:24]: Before there were groups of dance. Before there were groups of dance. and when they start taking those groups to dance at a theater and which integrate
Andrea [57:48]: Flamenco or jazz that kind of changes style into I guess performing arts. The difference between the simple traditional and the performing. Have you, have you trained in ballet separate from ballet. And the last group where he was, which is the
Isidro Salas [58:19]: Magisterial de Nuevo León, they would give them techniques. One hour, one hour of technique, every day. Oh, wow, in French? No, in the technique there at Monterrey. In Plie, Tendu, yeah, everything. Oh, yeah. Si, todo eso, nos daban una hora. Y después de esa hora pasábamos a pasos. And after that hour, they would do steps. Después de pasos, pasaban a crear coreografías. And then they would do choreography. Interesting. And then they would, they would also give them how techniques,
Andrea [59:01]: How to paint backdrops. Oh, wow. Everything. Yes. Very cool.
Isidro Salas [59:07]: My respect for Valet Folklórico Magisterial
Andrea [59:10]: Is, for me, one of the best groups in Mexico.
Isidro Salas [59:14]: I have a lot of respect for Valet Folklórico Magisterial.
Andrea [59:16]: To me, it's one of the best groups in Mexico. Her instructor just had his 50th anniversary of teaching. I was invited. I was not able to go, but I did send the company folkloric.
Isidro Salas [59:49]: The group, the whole group from the maquis,
Andrea [59:53]: But then also seven of the students that already have their groups also performed,
Isidro Salas [59:59]: So there were seven groups, so each dancer that used
Part 5 (1:00:02)
Andrea [1:00:02]: To be a dancer at the academy also got to perform with their groups. Where were they from? They were all from Monterrey. All from Monterrey?
Isidro Salas [1:00:11]: Oh, you're the only one from Houston? Yes. Wow. And the pride that I have, and I felt a little bit, this feeling so found, because they all wanted to dance Nuevo León. And he had mixed feelings because everyone wanted to dance and perform with that
Andrea [1:00:31]: State Nuevo León which is that state. To his ex. He told them no, que el único que quería que bailara Nuevo León era Isidro porque
Isidro Salas [1:00:46]: El que más tenía el estilo de él. And he told them no that the only one that he wanted to dance Nuevo León was Isidro
Andrea [1:00:53]: Because that's the one that has more of his style of his own. And he could feel the jealousy between the other instructors. What an honor, though. I mean, yes, yes.
Isidro Salas [1:01:12]: And all, and when they presented, well, now it's time for the Folklórica Alegria Micana de las Ejios Sontejas, director of Cidro Sala, with Nuevo León. It was a total silence, silence. But when it started, no, super well, super well.
Andrea [1:01:31]: The teacher was happy with the work. All of these experiences and prides for his dancers. Tell us what he said about what happened when they started dancing.
Isidro Salas [1:01:45]: Oh, he said when they announced him, compañía folclórica alegria mexicana, with
Andrea [1:01:50]: State of Nevolión, everybody stayed quiet.
Isidro Salas [1:01:53]: From Houston, Texas, yeah, you couldn't hear a pin drop.
Andrea [1:01:57]: But then when they started dancing, it just turned everything back on.
Isidro Salas [1:02:00]: Because how would my friends who have a group in
Andrea [1:02:05]: New Orleans think that people in the United
Isidro Salas [1:02:09]: States could interpret New Orleans as the New York Magisterial? Because the other instructors that used to be his partners couldn't understand how somebody living in the United States could interpret New Orleans without living
Andrea [1:02:33]: Totally no lo ha dejado y de ahí y comentarios compañeros que no tenían grupo pero que fueron a ver me dijeron más no el mejor grupo de los ex
Isidro Salas [1:02:51]: Alunos and even other arm ex dancer that used to dance with him when he was at me he said y all that didn't have a group to come by those de mi época que
Andrea [1:03:00]: They were from his age group, they also felt that his was the best, considering that they weren't the best. he feels that they were very happy and satisfied with his work. Si hay bailarines, pero por el modo de vivir en Estados Unidos, no, no tenemos el tiempo como lo tienen en México de ensayar cuatro, seis horas. Aquí, aquí se trabaja una, dos horas. Este, y no quiero decir lo que hay un poquito más de mérito en lo que hacemos acá en los maestros que estamos acá, sino por dar un ejemplo.
Isidro Salas [1:04:57]: He says that he feels that the differences, for instance, the groups that are in Mexico,
Andrea [1:05:02]: They practice about four hours a day, every day, because there's so much conviction. And here, due to the schedule and things of that nature, we just practice maybe a couple of days a week.
Isidro Salas [1:05:14]: And even in holidays, he's looking forward for a holiday because he thinks, okay, that's
Andrea [1:05:18]: An extra day that we get to practice. But the students always say, well, I want to go here for Thanksgiving or Easter, whatever,
Isidro Salas [1:05:25]: So they're not willing to do as much. So he feels that's the reason he feels that there should be more merit
Andrea [1:05:31]: To the groups here in the United States because they don't practice as much. In other words, the way they perform and the way they perform over there, it takes them a lot more practice. And here he's able to obtain the same results with less practice. They've got him as their teacher.
Isidro Salas [1:06:04]: And he'll also ask some of the other instructors from here. What are you doing? Aren't you all practicing?
Andrea [1:06:09]: He will know the day off and to him he doesn't really believe in days off. I am more strict.
Isidro Salas [1:06:17]: I think she knows it, she knows who I am. That you know he's strict. I do, I do. What were you saying, your king? Oh, for instance, a holiday. Oh, okay, yeah. That they'd rather, yeah, just an example. Right. Then,
Andrea [1:06:31]: I, I… I stayed for the
Isidro Salas [1:06:35]: First years. When I wanted to get more emotional.
Andrea [1:06:41]: It was, I think, the day of the cow. The day Tense Givi was given.
Isidro Salas [1:06:47]: And I told them, well, tomorrow we can't practice, no master, we can't.
Andrea [1:06:51]: How can we not? It's day of the cow. No. Which cow, they come and rehearse. How do they want to grow, how do they want to become someone?
Isidro Salas [1:06:59]: He says that at the beginning, when he first started, he would tell them, you know, there's
Andrea [1:07:03]: Practice and they say, no, we can't because it's Easter, we have to go to the heart with
Isidro Salas [1:07:07]: My grandpa, grandma, whatever. And he says, no, you have to be here. It's like, how can you have a good company with discipline if you're not willing to be here?
Andrea [1:07:17]: And where did you get your discipline? Where did you get your discipline from? From Mexico. From the instructors. For example, there are children who come and tell me, oh, teacher, you dance very well. Everybody is dancing. I told them, okay, bring it. When I was in the first grade, I realized if the child really has discipline or is not active. He says that the moms will always tell him,
Isidro Salas [1:07:49]: Oh, my child can dance, and he really wants to dance. And he says, and I could tell on the first practice
Andrea [1:07:53]: If the child does have the discipline or if he's hyperactive.
Isidro Salas [1:08:22]: He says that the parents will stop doing personal things, errands to bring their child to school. to class. So that the child can come and just play and not pay attention.
Andrea [1:08:34]: Yo soy la persona de la que vamos a hacer esto, espalda derecha, claro se le
Isidro Salas [1:08:38]: Explica primero, bueno esta es una compañía, este es un grupo, vale,
Andrea [1:08:42]: Vamos a, se trabaja así, se hace este tipo de calentamiento,
Isidro Salas [1:08:48]: Sigue, así hay reglas, seguimos instrucciones musicales, pero cuando el And he says that he explains the rules to them, what they need to do, and after a week
Andrea [1:09:04]: Of practice, if he notices that they're still distracted, not paid attention, he will ask the mothers, are you sure that he wants to be here?
Isidro Salas [1:09:27]: And he says there are some dancers that they have everything, financially they have the
Andrea [1:09:31]: Time, they have everything, but they don't have the discipline or the willingness to I have an experience with a child in terms of
Isidro Salas [1:09:46]: Dyslexia, dyslexia to read or ADHD. He had one student that had ADHD
Andrea [1:09:54]: And that school they would tell him he didn't have anything art related oh yes and
Isidro Salas [1:10:21]: When he got to his class he noticed that
Andrea [1:10:23]: Was not true he was actually very good and until today he's one of the best dancers from that age group And then he says it's another dancer that just began that his sisters dance here, so He would always be here and he asked him to start dancing and he, and he didn't want to.
Isidro Salas [1:11:05]: But he also has a lot of rhythm and he's just
Andrea [1:11:10]: Very, very great at dancing now. He was also told that he was never going to succeed in sports- or art, and he has gone a long way.
Isidro Salas [1:11:48]: And he says that, that the discipline is because they're only here one hour, And there's not much time to come play around and then the parents will come and ask hey
Andrea [1:11:58]: How much has he improved? What is he doing? So he says he does feel the necessity to be Pero también entiendo que hay niños que son de lento aprendizaje que si le pongo atención hay niños que son Rápidos y prácticamente Los niños aunque sean de lento aprendizaje me gusta trabajar con él pero hay niños realmente And he does know that there are learners that are slower to pick up the same step or whatever.
Isidro Salas [1:12:29]: He still likes to work with them because it's a challenge.
Andrea [1:12:32]: But then again, there's the other ones that just are not interested. So that's a totally different issue. You've… You've got patience for passion.
Isidro Salas [1:12:40]: Paciencia para pasión. Yeah, he says when they get here he puts them in like three different categories and knows
Andrea [1:13:03]: Which ones he has to work with more. How is your company doing during the pandemic? He's still taking the precautionary measures with the face mask and the distance that they We need to keep a part and he's also got about 15 minutes to go get some fresh air. But the children are really desperate and they want to get back to dance.
Isidro Salas [1:13:58]: And he respects the idea of other parents that are not ready to send their children
Andrea [1:14:03]: To dance yet. What's on your horizon? que estén tu horizonte. Proyectos de, primero, prácticamente salud para poder seguir transmitiendo lo poquito, lo mucho que sea a nuestra comunidad, pero tengo un proyecto que se llama Dia de Muertos a hacer un file, a hacer un evento donde puedan venir muchos grupos, cada grupo a presentar bailes de la región de Hidalgo, de la Huasteca, que es donde se hace este tipo de bailes de tradiciones, Michoacán, que es donde nace Día de Muertos.
Isidro Salas [1:14:51]: He has different projects. The first of all is held to be able to continue and the
Andrea [1:14:55]: Other next project is for Día de los Muertos. He would like to make a parade with different states Francine regions, which is like Michoac on, which is the one that's really traditional for Dia.
Part 6 (1:15:24)
Isidro Salas [1:15:24]: And the other event that's coming up is the 20th anniversary on November 21st with the social
Andrea [1:15:31]: Distancing and the precautions but he's very excited because it is 20 years 20 years since you had your first student at the company 20 years ago what where did you I said 20 años, ¿dónde pensaste que estarías? Aquí.
Isidro Salas [1:15:54]: What were you hoping for here at Talenta Belengua? No precisamente Talenta Belengua, estoy muy agradecido con
Andrea [1:16:01]: Todas las personas que han pasado por Alegría Medicana,, de una otra manera,
Isidro Salas [1:16:08]: Nos han apoyado. Si tú me preguntas, me gustaría tener mi propio estudio. Well, he's very happy in all the places we've been and have practiced that, but if
Andrea [1:16:21]: You ask him, he would like to have his own studio. Donde pueda tener más compañeros que puedan ayudarme a transmitir, porque la vida sigue y quisiera dejar algo para la comunidad. Y
Isidro Salas [1:16:40]: Estoy contento porque dentro de estos 20 años han salido maestros, aquí tengo una persona, Leila Cantuque,
Andrea [1:16:46]: Está en la compañía, tiene su grupo, mi hermana.
Isidro Salas [1:16:55]: I would like to have that space of my own to be able to have other instructors so that
Andrea [1:17:00]: They could also leave something for the community, like a legacy, and I'm very proud that I had about six or seven groups of my dancers, like different generations that have been making their own groups and became instructors and have also tried to go ahead and give this for the future community students and dancers to promote and preserve Folclorico.
Isidro Salas [1:17:50]: And he says he appreciates you for the interview.
Andrea [1:17:53]: He doesn't really know how to be very political.
Isidro Salas [1:18:22]: He says he's not able to do a lot of things because unfortunately here there's a
Andrea [1:18:26]: Lot of politics which don't allow him to enter. He says he's not able to do a lot of things because unfortunately here there's a lot of politics which don't allow him to enter.
Isidro Salas [1:18:47]: And it's been a lot of years that it's been very difficult, but I've been like swimming against the current and hitting stone
Andrea [1:18:52]: And doing everything to still try to keep ahead and be considering the app. And the fact that, we don't have a studio because we can't
Isidro Salas [1:19:11]: Practice because there's no room available or there's
Andrea [1:19:14]: An event going on that's kind of what makes it difficult but God and with health he's with us and everything's possible and that, that's a little bit of
Isidro Salas [1:19:48]: What do you have planned for this What are you up to? Well, I'm up to it. I am, I'm up to it. I'm up to it. I'm up to it. I'm up to it. Nuevo León. And it's gonna be two hours. The first hour is gonna be Guanajuato. They're gonna open with Nuevo León. They're gonna have food, music, mariachi. And who's in it?
Andrea [1:20:37]: Y quien está en el evento?
Isidro Salas [1:20:40]: En cuanto a quien?
Andrea [1:20:43]: Oh, your alumni? Or your company? Yes. That's who's going to be performing.
Isidro Salas [1:20:50]: You go from the whole 20 years? Yes, de los veinte años. Estoy citando gente de que empezó conmigo en la compañía, gente de la primera, de, la segunda, de la tercera generación, que van a participar. Están contentos. Estoy, tengo aproximadamente como 60 bailarines de que inicie, estoy juntándolos para poder hacer un bonito trabajo. I have invited all the ex-dancers for the four decades or different generations and they've all very happy to come back and perform for that day. Awesome.
Andrea [1:21:28]: That's going to be so cool. Congratulations. You're a devotion. Gracias. Gracias. Gracias, Andre. Yeah. So how can people support you?
Isidro Salas [1:21:38]: Como lo puede ayudar la gente a apoyar. He would say that he would love it if they could go and see the show. That's one way to help out.
Andrea [1:22:07]: About how our audience is from outside the United States so how can people reach out to you connect with you and support you from abroad
Isidro Salas [1:22:15]: La mitad de la audiencia es de fuera de los Estados Unidos. ¿Cómo es que puedan ayudar o apoy? Tenemos una página en Facebook, se llama Alegría Mexicana. Ahí pueden ellos aportar lo que ellos gusten, donaciones y aceptan donaciones. Hablando con la señora Eva Santos, viene un teléfono que ella también recibe donaciones para el grupo. It's eight states that they're going to perform. They're currently selling tamales, making raffles, to be able to get the costumes.
Andrea [1:23:10]: But there's also Facebook which is somewhere where they can go ahead and donate if they wish to make donations or
Isidro Salas [1:23:18]: Miss Eva Santos can be contacted as well
Andrea [1:23:21]: So Eva Santos is responsible for the costumes the making Tell me about your relationship with her
Isidro Salas [1:23:40]: , we went to dance, really, to Freeport. One of these days, I went to dance to a school. And practically, there she was with her grandchildren. And after the show ended, my son, Maestro, I want to talk to you. Tell me, what can I say? I have two grandchildren who dance, She's been a blessing from God. This all happened, I'm very dedicated, she's a person that has everything in order. Sometimes I'm very…
Andrea [1:25:16]: My passion is being with dancers.
Isidro Salas [1:25:19]: I'm not an administrative person, nothing. That's my passion and the fact that being with her, being a teacher… Yesterday I talked to her at five in the morning. Saying, teacher, remember to call her Andrea Cody. And she's at that time became his administrative assistant and he is very much into the dance and that's his world so he overlooks all the other administrative things and that's where she comes in. She's very, very helpful, very organized. The other day she called him at five, actually yesterday I believe or today, to remind hey Andrea is going for the interview today so she's constantly on him because of all the administrative things.
Awesome. Thank you Eva. She's an angel to me. I don't know what I would do without her. Exactly what's going on. She keeps up with
Andrea [1:26:32]: Everything and just awesome. Yeah, she's this right hand. Every done, she's there for everything, pretty much, dance.
Isidro Salas [1:26:59]: Speckle what's going on. She keeps up with everything and just awesome. He just focuses so much on that, that everything else is just locked out.
Andrea [1:27:07]: How did she learn how to make those costumes? They're incredible.
Isidro Salas [1:27:46]: She used to sew for her grandchildren in the other group that they were, but now that she's doing it for him, she was given a book by another instructor of nothing but costumes and it gives every detail of each costume. And he forwarded and gave her as a gift, that book. So that's where she's been getting hers from. They make a good team. He'll give her suggestions. Go ahead and make it a louder color or smaller or bigger. And then she also suggests so they kind of together make it, work out. Does she do the props too? Que si ella hace las props, las cosas que van, por ejemplo, de adornos, los, de estas?
Okay,, his sister is the one that does all the head pieces. Oh, wow. Mi hermana.
Andrea [1:28:47]: I hope that you, you will get a scenic designer. Wouldn't that be amazing?
Isidro Salas [1:28:52]: Dice que le gustaría que tuviera hasta un diseñador de escenario, you know, because I know you have these visions. Porque usted tiene las visiones. Sí. And someone that had that dedication, that passion, were creating, you know, the ambiance. Because you do, I mean, you do it. But like someone that does it like Eva. Oh, yeah. That would be really cool. Let's close with some advice from you,
Andrea [1:29:19]: Whether in dance or in life that you could do, follow
Isidro Salas [1:29:29]: Your dreams, do it with respect, The responsibility, socialization, have the conviction of doing things, and just keep going. My guest today is Maestro Isidro Fala with Leila Hantu. Thank you for joining us. Thanks for listening. Please subscribe and share our podcast and reach out to us on social media if you'd like to talk. To support DanceTalks, donate to Dance Houston. Talk to you on Monday.