Asi Es Mi Tierra Ballet Folklorico to Perform at Detroit's Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

Asi Es Mi Tierra Dance Group was started in 1997 in the basement of St. Gabriel's Parish Hall, Detroit,Michigan. It was formed for the purpose of promoting cultural awareness and preserving the Mexican culture throughout the beautiful art of dance.

This workshop is designed for youth ages 7 years thru 18 years of age.

Asi Es Mi Tierra dance group will be in Detroit's Cinco de Mayo Parade and are proud this year will also have a 'Float' representing Aztec Pyramid of Mexico in the parade. Thanks to the volunteer parents for their help and donations.

Asi Es Mi Tierra will be performing at 3:00 PM at Center Stage, dancing to the music from the regions Michoacan, El Norte and Jalisco, Mexico.

Last year, Asi Es Mi Tierra was invited to a breakfast with the Mexican Consulate in appreciation of the Ballet Folklorico dance groups in the Detroit and surrounding area that help keep this beautiful tradition alive.

Please be sure and stop by the groups Fundraising Booth where pop, water, chips and candy for sale and if you'd like more information about dance classes.

Ballet Folklorico Mexicano 'Asi Es Mi Tierra'

Sra Ofelia Torres, Directora Ph: (313) 730-6680

Practices: Saturdays

Time: 12:15 PM to 4:00 PM

Location: Saint Gabriel Parish Basement

See you at Detroit's 2008 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

Grammy Nominee, Mariachi Salvador Torres, to perform

The name of Salvador Torres
is well known in and around the City of Detroit.

The name of Salvador Torres
is very well known among Mariachi circles as well.

El Padrino of all Mariachi in the Detroit area,
Salvador and his Mariachi
will be performing at this year's
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Detroit.

Salvador gained quite a bit of fame
when his UNIDOS CANTEMOS earned
him a Grammy Nomination.
UNIDOS CANTEMOS is a song he composed
soon after the devastating earthquake in Mexico City in 1985.

Visit Salvador over at MySpace

Visit Salvador over at SonicBids

Or better yet,
Come and listen to Detroit's Permier Mariachi
At Detroit's 2008 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

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About the photo:

I managed to take this picture of Salvador's

smiling face last fall

during the Dia de los Muertos event

held in Detroit's Plaza del Sol.

La Inspiracion and Cinco de Mayo

Rubi Recommends the best Salsa Music in Metro Detroit!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
With
La Inspiracion

Bert’s Warehouse
Eastern Market area, Detroit
2739 Russell
Monday, May 5th from 9pm to 12am
Free Dance Lessons start at 8:30pm

And every First Monday afterwards at the same time!

Pass this on to all of your friends
and encourage them to pass it along to others they know.
La Inspiracion's first night at Bert’s
is a great way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo the authentic way!

Don’t forget to check out their website:
www.LaInspiracion.com

You'll find quite a bit of information
about La Inspiracion at their website,
including bios of all members,
some wonderful photos,
a history of their performances,
and even some great links to
other fine music sites.

Don’t forget there are other
Michigan salsa/Latin jazz bands we should support.
You can check them and their schedules out by going to:

Grupo Fuego http://www.grupofuego.com/
Orq. Sensacional http://www.orqasens.com/
Orquesta Salvaje http://www.salvajeproductions.com/
Tumbao Bravo http://www.tumbaobravo.com/

See you Detroit's Cinco De Mayo Fiesta 2008!

Dancing Down Scotten at the Cinco de Mayo in Detroit

Dancers! Dancers! Dancers!

All kinds of Mexican Folkloric Dancers
will be found
at this year's Cinco de Mayo fiesta
in Detroit.

Both Raices Mexicanas
And Asi Es Mi Tierra
will perform during the Cinco de Mayo Festival
held in Detroit's own
Clark Park.

You certainly don't want to miss this year's event!
Colorful costumes!
Excellent performers.

Actually,
I must say that Raices Mexicanas
and Asi Es Mi Tierra
are two of the finest Mexican Folkloric dance troups
the Detroit area has.
What better place to enjoy their talent
than at the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Detroit!

Pictured above
are some dancers
as they near the end of the parade route,
which is Vernor at Scotten.
This picture as taken
at last year's Cinco de Mayo event in Detroit.

Shortly after posting this blog entry,
I received an email from a family member
of one of the girls in the photo,

"My daughter Melody and I
were looking at your Cinco De Mayo blog picture
of Dancing down Scotten in last years parade,
and the dancer in the Lilac Jalisco dress
is her daughter Mariah,
this is her 3rd year in the dance group.
She is so proud of her heritage.
Since she has been in school here in Woodhaven,
she was never was able to express or share
her Mexican Heritage
since she was one of the few latina students in her school.
The first time she danced to the music of 'Guadalajara'
at our Family re-union in Texas
2 years ago to live Mariachi music' she said,
'Now I know what being proud of my heritage means.
A Mexicana has green, white and red blood,'
and then she thanked me
for putting her in the dance group.
She always loved the Mariachi music as a baby,
but couldn't share her interest with anyone
until Asi Es Mi Tierra dance class
awakened her love for this beautiful culture.
She has a new Lime Green Jalisco dress this year
She fell in love with this color after going to Mexico."

Asi Es Mi Tierra will be performing at 3:00 PM at Center Stage,
dancing to the music from the regions
Michoacan, El Norte and Jalisco, Mexico.

You'll find the fiesta schdule here.

See you at the fiesta!

Cinco de Mayo Detroit - Wearing the Flag

At the Cinco de Mayo Celebration in Detroit,
you'll see Green, White and Red everywhere!

Mexican Flag Jewelry - bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings. . .

Yes, Mexican Flags abound at the fiesta. . . .
Mexican Flags on Bikes.
Mexican Flags on Cars.
Mexican Flags on Big Rigs.
Mexican Flags in store windows.

Full sized flags.
Hand held flags.
Flags for rear view mirrors.
Flags for car windows.
Skull cap flags.
. . .and I dare say new this year will be a skull cap
with Mexican Flag, American Flag, Our Lady of Guadalupe
and St. Juan Diego!

You'll see the colors in crepe paper streams.

You'll see Green, White & Red in balloons.

Papel Cortado.

Little Children have their faces painted with flag on their cheek.

You'll even see the colors
as young people show their ethnic pride
and wear the flag!
The above photo was taken
at last year's Cinco de Mayo Fiesta in Clark Park.

You won't want to miss the parade down
West Vernor on Sunday, May 4th!
You'll find the Detroit Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Shedule Here!

See you at the Fiesta!

What are Cascarones?

I’d like to introduce you to Mr. And Mrs. Cascaron.
They, along with their children, are staying with us
as we prepare for Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta.
Originally from Detroit,
the Cascarones moved to Nuevo Mexico shortly after being married.
They have three children,
pictured here.

Muñeca Amarilla, their only daughter and youngest child,
can hardly wait for the fiesta.
"How many niños attend the fiesta each year,"
she asks, innocently.
You see, La Amarilla has never attended
the Cinco de Mayo in Detroit.

Azulito and Guerito,
the couple’s teenage sons,
have both attended the Cinco de Mayo
and know well how large the crowds can be.
"Just wait and see,"
they tell their little egghead sister.

Even family from Chicago are coming in.
Yes, that’s right!
Many folks from Chicago
make the trip to Detroit
just to attend
the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta.
Mr. Cascaron can be seen here
with his sons and some of his nephews,
who just drove up from Chicago
to participate in the event.

And, yes, that’s right.
You guessed it!
The whole lot of them are staying with us
as we prepare for the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!
We have a spare bedroom for Mr. and Mrs.
But all of the Cascaron children
(quite literally)
are camping out in my living room!

But who are the Cascarones?
And what is their role in The Cinco de Mayo festivities?
Perhaps the better question is
What, eggs-actly, are Casacarones?

Cascarones are eggshells that are
brightly and creatively decorated.
Crafters save eggshells all year long
and then begin their artistic craft
of decorating them in time for a fiesta.

The Casacrones are filled with confetti.
Children use them to play pranks on their
friends and siblings,
often breaking the confetti filled eggs
over each other’s heads!
But be careful!
Cascarones filled with flour
have been known
to occasionally make their way
into a fiesta!
And, the thing is,
having a Cascaron smashed against your head
is said to bring you good luck!

Cascarones will abound
at Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
Come on down and meet
Mr. And Mrs. Cascaron
and all of their eggs-tended family!

You know,
it just wouldn’t be a Mexican Fiesta
without Cascarones!
Click here for Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo
Fiesta Schedule.

Revolucha de Mayo at Detroit's Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

OK, folks!
Here it is!
The Youtube promo about the Lucha Libre event,
RevoLucha, that is!
You'll see it live at
Detroit's Cinco de Mayo Fiesta 2008.

The event will take place
in a covered tented area
in Detroit's own Clark Park.
Cost is $10 per event!

Step it Up!
Southwest Detroit!
May 3rd!
May 4th!

Viva la Revolucha!

More Cars! Cinco de Mayo Detroit Parade!

Here's another wonderful little video
that shows a few more of the cars
in Detrot's Cinco de Mayo Parade.

I believe this video is from last year's
Cinco de Mayo Parade.
The parade runs down W. Vernor Ave.
And will begin at noon on Sunday, May 4th.

Anyhow, this is just a snipet of what you'll see
when you Join Us for the City of Detroit's
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and Parade!

Cinco de Mayo Low Riders

I found this wonderful video on YouTube earlier today.
Although the youtuber doesn't say,
I believe this was from last year.
One thing is for sure.
this is video is taken near St. Gabriel church. . .
. . .that building on the far right
is the Cesar Chavez School,
which is housed at St. Gabriel. . .

Any how,
this year's Cinco de Mayo Parade
down West Vernor Ave
is bound to have a lot of Low Riders!

Enjoy this video!
It's a preview of what is to come at
Detroit's Cinco de Mayo Parade 2008!

What is Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo Commemorates the infamous Battle of Pueblo, which took place in 1862. Many, however, wrongfully think that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. Mexico actually gained her independence almost fifty years prior, on Sept. 16, 1810

After the Mexican / American war (1846-48), Mexico fell into a serious period of national crisis. The crisis was furthered by Mexico’s own civil war in 1858. These left Mexico both bankrupt and devastated.

Benito Juarez, the nation’s indigenous president, issued a moratorium on foreign debt. Mexico was not going to pay back any foreign debt for two years. After that period, payments would begin again. This moratorium was issued on July 17, 1861 in the hopes of ending the financial crisis of Mexico.

The English, the Spanish and the French found this unacceptable and decided to invade Mexico and take back their debt by whatever means necessary. The Spanish and the English eventually withdrew from Mexico, probably very much aware of France’s desire to expand their empire. But the French would not withdraw. Some argue that the reason the French did not leave and continued to occupy Mexico was in direct response to the power growing in America. It is believed by many that Napoleon III did not want to see America prosper as it would then become a powerful nation. He went so far as to appoint a relative, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.

In 1826, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza, the indigenous army began their attack. Armed with machetes, the indigenous army was able to overtake the French in the battle at Puebla. Although it was a most gruesome battle, Puebla was able to defend herself.

It is called Cinco de Mayo because the battle took place on the fifth of May. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become more of a day to celebrate ethnic pride and heritage. In the City of Detroit, it really has become an event that celebrates all Latino culture. While one may be able see Mexican flags as far as the eye can see, you’ll also see Puerto Rican flags, El Salvador, Guatemala and more. In Detroit, the Cinco de Mayo event is fiesta of fun for everyone!

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About the Photo: I call this "Super Mexicano and his Sidekick, 'Lil Mex."

This picture was taken at Clark Park during last year's Cinco de Mayo Festivities. Click the photo for more images of last year's Cinco de Mayo event.

Cinco De Mayo Detroit 2008 Festival Schedule

Detroit’s Cinco de Mayo Festival Includes
Music, Ethnic Food and Fun for Everyone!
The festival includes arts and crafts and
and all sorts of authentic Mexican gifts.

This year’s event will once again include a Fun Run
and 3 Lucha Libre events!

Festival Dates and Times:
Saturday, May 3rd and Sunday May 4th
12:00noon - 8:00p..m both days

Festival Location:
Clark Park
The park is located on W. Vernor between Scotten and Clark
in the City of Detroit

Parade:
12:00noon on Sunday May 4th
The Cinco de Mayo Parade will process down West Vernor Avenue,
beginning at Patton Park (Vernor at Woodmere)
and concluding at Clark Park (Scotten & Vernor)

See you at The Fiesta!

Welcome to Cinco de Mayo Detroit

Hello and Welcome to the Cinco de Mayo Detroit blog.

I started this blog today because
so many friends and family members
have begun asking me about details
of the Cinco de Mayo festivities for this year.

I love the Cinco de Mayo
and have participated in this event since childhood.
My father, may he rest in peace,
was a member of
the Mexican Patriotic Committee of Detroit
and was very much involved in this celebration each year.
As an adult, I not only enjoy the festival and parade,
but it brings back fond memories of my youth.

And so, with this blog,
I hope to bring you updates
of this year’s events as they become known to me!

Cinco de Mayo is coming, Detroit!
Let’s have some fun, enjoy the festivities,
and celebrate our Mexican heritage!

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About the photo: I call this photo "Little Orgullosa."
This picture was taken in Detroit's Clark Park
at least year's Cinco de Mayo festival.