Tag Archives: latin america

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.

La llorona

Date_of_performance: 04/05/2025

Informant Name: MD

Language: English/Spanish

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student/RA

Primary Language: English

Residence: USC

Interview:

MD: The only thing i can think of, for legends, La llorona. Which is a hispanic folklore my mom scared me with when I was growing up. You can look it up but my mom would tell me that if I didn’t go to bed on time she would come get me in my sleep.

MD: And i was terrified of her. The pictures online are so triggering to me. *laughs*

ME: Do you remember what she told you about La llorona?

MD: Basically, she told me that she was like an evil mom that would kidnap me if i didn’t listen to her, which is terrifying to hear as a child, so I’m sure you can believe that I started to listening to her more. The whole point was like if you don’t obey your good mom, La llorona will come steal you away from your family. i think she told me that her kids died or something so that’s why she takes other people’s kids.

ME: Oh yeah. I learned a bit about her in my class. It is so interesting and terrifying even now.

MD: Yeah. I don’t think she copied the exact myth, just told me enough to make sure I did listen to her and to scare me away from wanting to misbehavior against her.

Interpretation

I find it so interesting to hear about different legends people have heard of when they were younger and ones that continue to stick with them or influence the way they behave today. It is especially interesting for me when it is a legend that turns into a lesson for children. I had a little bit of knowledge of La llorona before they told me the story of what her mom said to her to frighten her into good behavior. I’m glad I heard it from someone who is Latina or has been haunted by this legend from a young age, there will be a genuine portrayal of who she is and her character wouldn’t be full of harmful Latina stereotypes to make her seem more cruel or dramatic for entertainment effect. The legend focuses on maternal care and I think that is why people tend to force her into such a dark and evil box, because there no talk of the father or consequences for the children is they don’t listen to their dad and a lot of folktales don’t usually focus on a feminine character not being the victim who ends a masculine character to save them, while she is seen as a threatening force because she drowned her children, it is more about wanting children to behave and to stay away from waterways (which is a meaning that tends to be overlooked) and less on how she is a cruel person, which may be painted differently if there is a masculine character starring beside her in the legend. Legends surrounding motherhood are the ones I like to read about the most, because it shows what they would do for their children and how far they would go, even if it means turning against themselves and being represented as someone who is vicious.





Solovino

Age: 20

Text:

“Solovino”

Context:

The informer tells me that this is a popular dog name in El Salvador, especially for stray dogs-turned-pets, and it means “he came alone”. They learned about this through their parents, but have heard it on Spanish shows like comedy novellas. They initially thought that it was a Salvadorian thing, but learned later that this name was popular in Mexico as well.

Analysis:

Many parts of Latin America–including El Salvador–have large populations of stray dogs who wander into stores and homes seeking food or shelter. Many of these dogs seem to be informally adopted simply because they showed up, hence the name Solovino. It’s like a playful acknowledgment of the dog’s lifestory–he just appeared, and was welcomed. I feel like this may reflect the importance of generosity in Latin culture, where it is extended to family, community, and even strangers(like the passing stray dog). How common this practice must be, for it to reach even social and cultural media, and to have its own variations across Latin America!

El Cucuy-The monster: Legend

Nationality: American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 3/23/23
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Text: 

Me: “Within your Mexican culture, did you grow up hearing any scary stories?”

EC: “um yeah, it’s pretty crazy how affected we were by it actually. My parents always used to tell us about El Cucuy. My parents used to use it to scare me and my siblings from going to unsupervised places. It’s supposed to be a monster that scares kids”.

Me: “Ok, so was it like a generalized monster? Like did it have a name?”

EC: “yeah, it’s super generalized, El Cucuy literally translates to monster so it didn’t have a name. My parents would just say “don’t go over there! The Cucuy will get you!”

Translation: “The monster”

Context (informant’s relationship to the piece, where they heard it, how they interpret it):

-EC’s relationship to this piece stems from her Mexican culture within her childhood home considering this legend is said primarily in Mexico, Spain, and other Latin American countries. EC would hear this legend at home, at family gatherings, from her aunts, or from a random person that was attempting to warn her from going anywhere she wasn’t supposed to. EC interprets this legend as a scaring tactic that parents use to control the ways in which their kids behave. Not to mention, EC interprets this legend as a light-hearted joke that tells kids to ultimately listen to their parents. 

Analysis (what kind of personal, cultural, or historical values might be expressed) YOUR interpretation:

-The overall cultural value within this legend stems from the various origin stories that can be told considering it is a popular phenomenon among Mexico, Spain, and other Latin American households. Not to mention, the cultural value can be seen within how these Latin American cultures raise their kids within their similar lifestyle values. Not to mention, the personal values that can be expressed within this legend is the way parents raise their kids regarding their own personal beliefs and customs. I see this legend as an overall motive to control bad behavior in children and to scare them into following the commands of their parents. I interpret this legend as an idea of obedience as scary methods can be made considering this legend showcases a parent’s overall motive to scare their children from going anywhere alone. Considering that I have heard about this legend myself and grew up with it, I ultimately interpret El Cucuy as an embedded concept that is directed towards children in order for them to be scared of the unknown. Given the fact that this entity is nameless, leads me to think that this scary tactic allows children to interpret this monster in any way they choose which can determine how scary they make it seem in their own perceptual minds. One similar legend that has similar qualities to El Cucuy is the legend of La Chupacabra considering that they are creatures that are intended for behavioral motives. However, the main difference between El Cucuy and La Chupacabra is that there have been actual sighting reports on La Chupacabra while there hasn’t for El Cucuy. This leads El Cucuy to be represented as an imaginative creature in kids minds. The overall idea of El Cucuy can fall under the concept of an ostension considering actual kidnappers can be placed as the given ‘monster’ that can take you if you go wander around places unattended.

El Cuco

Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Performance Date: 4/29/22
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Context: Subject grew up in New York City, but spent his high school education in California. 

Text:

“So El Cuco, which is basically like the boogeyman in Latin households. It started in Latin America basically. So my parents grew up with it and they passed it down to me. What it basically is is that it’s a boogeyman for children who misbehave so parents can say oh you better behave or el cuco will take you away. It’s basically just like a way to prevent children from acting up, because the way they describe the figure is sort of a demon-like figure. So it makes children afraid, also because he’s always watching you. He’s like the anti-santa clause. He knows when you misbehaving and at any moment he can take you away”.

Analysis: 

This piece of folklore here clearly aligns itself with the pieces of folklore created for the sole purpose of teaching children how the world works. The harmless white lies told to children in order to indoctrinate them into society, teaching them lessons of empathy and responsibility, are best done through stories such as this.