Monthly Archives: May 2025

El Caballo Dorado Dance

Age: 20


Date of performance: 4/25/2025


Language: Spanish


Nationality: Mexican American


Occupation: Full-Time Student


Primary Language: English


Residence: California

Text: “El Caballo Dorado” AKA ‘The Golden Horse’

Context:

My informant recalled a dance they learned as a child during a party, which they associated with ‘ranchero’ culture. The dance, known as “El Caballo Dorado,” is commonly performed at indoor parties, sometimes even during public celebrations outdoors, and features traditional clothing. It derives its name from traditional Mexican song under the same name that plays during the dance Similar to the “Cha Cha Slide” in American party culture, my informant added that it’s a group dance with synchronized movements. A signature move among the male dancers includes holding one hand on their cowboy hat and the other with a thumb tucked under their belt, reinforcing its cowboy-related theme. The dance starts at a manageable pace but increases in speed, turning into a sort of informal competition where participants must keep up with the rhythm. Those who fall behind are seen as having “lost,” though there isn’t a single winner—multiple people can succeed if they maintain the pace. The informant emphasized its role as both a cultural expression and a competitive party activity.

Analysis:

I listened to this song growing up under a Hispanic household, in doing so I hold a similar interpretation to my informant. Much alike my informant, I never learned the actual history about this dance just its background. This has made me arrive at the conclusion that—though it might’ve initially had a significant historical value upon its commencement—it has ultimately evolved to the traditional point of serving as just an entertainment value for Hispanic communities. Despite this, it has held on strong due to its levels of complexities people in the community take it and have continued to pass down throughout generations. Music is a strong foundation for most Latin communities, and this song and dance has served to cement this ideology of bringing generations of diverse individuals to continue to share the dance floor and enjoy their culture.

3 Reyes Mago & Rosca de Reyes

Age: 20


Date of performance: 4/25/2025


Language: Spanish


Nationality: Mexican American


Occupation: Full-Time Student


Primary Language: English


Residence: California

Context:

My informant shared their experience with the celebration of “3 Reyes Magos,” or “Three Kings Day,” a tradition rooted in the biblical story of the Magi visiting the infant Jesus. Celebrated on January 6th during the Feast of the Epiphany, this holiday marks the end of the Christmas season. While the original story involves the kings bringing symbolic gifts such as gold, the modern tradition has adapted so that the Three Kings now bring presents to well-behaved children. Families typically wake up to find gifts left by the kings, much alike Christmas. One key tradition associated with the day that my informant shared, is the sharing of Rosca de Reyes aka, ‘The Kings Cake‘, a round, sweet bread with a hidden baby Jesus figurine inside. Finding this figure comes with the responsibility of hosting a future family party, a duty that applies even if the recipient is a child—placing the hosting obligation on the parent. This celebration blends religious meaning, family bonding, and festive customs that are passed down through generations.

Analysis:

Though distinctively different traditions, a similar meaning behind the Hispanic holiday is shared with my informant. I believe this holiday, shares a lot with the American traditions Christmas holds, so it acts like a second one for most. I’ve witnessed that sometimes it even hold more value than the traditional day of Christmas considering its the exact date that Jesus was supposedly born. I found it interesting how my informants background changed some of the traditions acted during this holiday and the meaning behind them. For example, as a Salvadorian, upon finding the hidden baby Jesus, the recipient makes tamales for the family. Making tamales is a heavy and arduous task that can take an entire day, which further amplifies the significance and value of this action and event.

Mount Holyoke Pangynaskeia Day

Age: 22

Text: My sister tells me about a tradition at her school, Mount Holyoke. It’s called Pangy, short for Pangynaskeia Day. She told me it’s the last Friday of the spring semester, kind of part Earth Day, part May Day, part spring fun, and part celebrating women. 

Context: She has never been before, because in past years she’s been busy or studying abroad ,and is going for the first time this year. She said she’s excited because she hears there are sometimes chickens and llamas and bunnies. There is also a may pole and a cultural festival, as well as good food on the lawn. She said they can wear whatever but she specified flowy dresses because it’s springtime and said, “Think witchcraft circles and dancing I guess but happier.”

Analysis: Pangy Day is an example of a festival that happens with the seasons, and it draws on older traditions such as May Day and Earth Day. However, it is reimagined in a modern college setting. Rooted in place based tradition, it’s a ritual that all Mount Holyoke students and alums have in common. Even though she has never been, the fact she knows a lot about it and is excited for it shows how these traditions live within the community and are anticipated every year.

Scripps College Library Tradition

Age: 22

Text: A. told me about a Scripps College tradition where the doors that look like the main entrance to Denison Library only open twice a year. They open during freshmen orientation, where you walk through the front of the library and sign your name and hometown in a book that has all of your peers and classmates in it. Then you walk out through the library and out through the side onto the lawn wher eyou just connect more with your peers and your endless new space for your college life. And you don’t walk through the doors again until your graduation day where you’re in your green robe. You walk in through the side of the library out to the front and then onto the lawn to graduate.

Context: It’s meant to be a very nice metaphor that when you get to Scripps, you walk into the library and gain all this knowledge over your four years and then when it’s time to leave your library, you go into the real world. It’s symbolic how Scripps provides you with all these opportunities and knowledge while you’re there and when it’s your time to leave you take this knowledge and spread it!

Analysis: This is a rite of passage for Scripps students and symbolizes their college experience through institutional folklore. The opening of the doors is turned sacred and the fact that the experience happens at the beginning and the end of the college experience, like bookends, makes this ritual symbolic of personal transformation. It only happens in liminal spaces, where you cross over from different phases of life. Additionally, the signing of the book lets students forever be a part of the community and a shared experience. The meaning is constantly evolving with each new class.

Mount Holyoke Laurel Parade

Age: 22

Text: My sister told me about a graduation tradition at her school Mount Holyoke called the Laurel Parade. She said it “symbolizes when a student moves into an alum. Participants wear white in solidarity with the suffragists and seniors parade with a laurel chain and drape it on the iron fence around the grave while we sing ‘bread and roses’ (poem turned song) about protests on equal pay at a textile mill in Massachusetts.” 

Context: She is heavily looking forward to the Laurel Parade because it is a momentous occasion and she’s looking forward to the singing part. When my sister said she’s excited for it, my mom mentioned that everyone in the parent groups say it is the highlight of graduation. My sister says it’s very cult-like but also very cute. She’s been very bittersweet about graduating and can’t wait to sing songs and be in a cult.

Analysis: This is an important ritual for Mount Holyoke grads, and helps to foster a collective identity among members. The wearing of white is a long standing connection to suffragists and ties the graduation to a greater meaning, as these new women graduate from college and go off to the real world. These traditions are important as they mark a rite of passage and this one creates a sense of closure as they all work together to create the atmosphere through singing and outfits. It is a milestone that helps process the “bittersweet” feelings of leaving an institution you’ve been with for four years.