Fiesta Around the Quilt

​Cinco de Mayo

You almost have to have a Fiesta theme of some kind  around May 5, if you live in Texas.  It's one of those you can't go wrong themes.

So I grabbed the quilt and the sombrero and headed off to the quilt groups this week.  A hat and music was just about all I needed.

Posing in the Sombrero

The hat is a great ice breaker. All my groups insisted I put it on.  Then others wanted to try it on and  and pose for my camera.

It's amazing how much this thing weighs.  I think I would rather feel the heat of the sun.

​Mexican Hat Dance at The Community Center

​The sombrero was the center of attention on our table.  I passed around maracas and since many in my group are disabled, I attempted a seated version of the Mexican Hat Dance.  ​

As the horns and violins filled the room, we shook maracas and cheered, then clapped and kicked under the table.  Then Aldele who is proudly the oldest in our group, leaned over and said a few words to me in Spanish. Then she grabbed my hand and pulled me up to dance.  The others watches and laughed and cheered, until a few others who could, left the table and joined us! ​​

Hat on the Floor

At the Assisted Living Center I attempted a similar table dance, but an employee named Maria interrupted us.  She was sure we needed to learn how the dance was really done.  She put the hat on the floor and did some pretty fast foot work around it, until she  pulled me in as her partner.  ​

We linked arms and danced around the hat, then added some fast clapping and Spanish-style stomping.  That was a very long recording and I was out of breath when Maria rushed off to get back to work.

​The Kids

I love it when there are kids who can join in too.  

They gave us an excuse to sing some silly songs like the Guacamole Song. (about a little boy who sits on an avocado)

La Malaguena

​But the most touching moment of all came about with the song Malaguena, sung by the man who made the song famous. ​

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I fell in love with the song when I first heard mariachis singing it in California 30 years.  I was eager to share the music with the quilt groups.  Most had never heard the song but were drawn in by the voice of Miguel Aceves Mejia as he held onto the notes for impossibly long amounts of time. 

But when I gathered with my Community Center group I was eager to see if any of the folks from Mexico would recognize it.   It only took a few notes of the song and half my group was singing along!  Humberto, who is from Cuba heard it from another room and rushed in to sing as well.  Those of us who speak no Spanish, sat in awe of this impromptu performance.  Here is an old clip of Miguel singing. 

​http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdZo5EFcbcI
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What I learned:  Music is always a powerful force.  It wakes us up, opens us up, cheers us up and sometimes gets us up out of our chairs!  I was reminded that I need to incorporate more music into what I do!

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