Local Dance Group to Perform at Inaugural

The jubilant rhythms and vibrant colors of folklorico dancing will be on display this weekend in Sacramento, Ventura County’s contribution to inaugural festivities for incoming Gov. Gray Davis.

The Inlakech Dancers are scheduled to perform Sunday as part of a fair highlighting the diversity of California and its youth.

By showcasing dances, music and costumes from two regions in Mexico, Inlakech director Javier Gomez hopes to encourage Latinos--and all Californians--to take pride in their heritage.

“Let’s appreciate it, applaud it, celebrate it,” he said.

The Oxnard group’s 30 performers, along with 14 parents, will travel to Sacramento for the Family Unity Celebration, to be held outdoors Sunday at the California State Railroad Museum. Youth groups from California’s 57 other counties will also perform.

Inlakech’s 10-minute program will feature traditional singing and dancing from Mexico’s Vera Cruz and Jalisco regions. Crystal De La Cruz, 12, said the group’s lacy skirts, wide sombreros and Spanish songs are appropriate for a party honoring California’s governor.

“California was once ruled, of course, by Mexico, and people used to dress like this,” she said recently during one of the group’s boisterous rehearsals. “This is California--right here.”

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Dancer Xochitl Gomez, Inlakech’s lead instructor and daughter of the group’s director, said she has noticed among her young students a renewed interest in celebrating the Latino contribution to California.

“When I was growing up you weren’t supposed to speak Spanish,” said Gomez, 25. “You weren’t supposed to be proud of where you came from. My friends would bring burritos to school and they’d be afraid to take them out. Now having burritos is, like, a cool thing.”

Inlakech is one of several folklorico youth groups selected to perform by the California Inaugural Committee. Democrats in each county nominated a group they felt best represented their area. High school marching bands, jazz ensembles and choirs will also take part in the inaugural events.

Inlakech “typifies the growing Latino community and also these are kids that are very talented performers,” said Hank Lacayo, Ventura County’s Democratic Party chairman. “They deserve that kind of attention.”

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In addition to touring the Capitol, the Inlakech entourage will be able to attend the star-studded Inaugural Gala on Sunday night at Arco Arena and the Rock & Roll Ball for youth, to be held Monday at Cal Expo.

The performers will wear their costumes to Monday’s inauguration, Javier Gomez said.

“We’re going to try to attend whatever invitations they’re going to extend to us,” Gomez said. “If anything, it’s going to be a great excursion for the kids.”

The Inlakech dancers perform often but travel outside Ventura County only occasionally. And Sunday’s show, expected to draw several thousand people, could be the group’s largest audience in its six-year history.

“It’s the farthest we’ve ever gone, I think,” 11-year-old dancer Ricardo Jimenez said. “I want to meet Gray Davis.”

To pay for the two-night trip, the parents of the Inlakech performers are trying to raise $2,000 to $3,000. Several local donors have stepped forward.

After all, Xochitl Gomez said, the group is showing off its home county.

“Hopefully, when we’re up there, they’re going to go, ‘Ventura County--they’ve got some talented youth there.’ ”