Rozco Barraza-Gutierrez is a student at Sierra School at Edison and he is also an Aztec Dancer. Rozco began dancing when he was 8 years old. He is now almost 12 years old and has been performing with the same troupe for all these years. Rozco’s group performs anywhere from 3 – 4 times each month for many types of occasion. Some examples include: birthday parties, holidays, retirement parties, parades, but especially weddings. He is the fifth generation in his family to be trained in this style of dance and practices approximately 4 hours per week.
Rozco states that dancing positively impacts his education because it helps him keep his mind focused and assists him in making good choices. It also teaches him about ancient history and Rozco affirms he has learned a lot about his culture through his dance. Some interesting facts include the following:
The symbol of Aztec dancing is the bird which represents their kupulua (ka-pute-lee), or their group.
The dances themselves always represent something from nature: the movement of the earth, fire, water, or wind.
The uniforms they wear includes many pieces: the headdress (which includes real bird feathers), the chest plate, and ankle and wrist bands. The uniform represents an ancient Aztec warrior.
The dancers also learn to sing in Spanish and Nahuatl.
Rozco also admits that, although it is hard work and learning the steps isn’t always easy, he never wants to miss practice. When asked if he’d rather stay home and watch TV, Rozco replied, “No, it’s like family. The make it fun to go by always baking cakes and by planning special trips. There are a lot of kids my age. There are even kids in diapers!” It certainly sounds like this young man has found a way to mix his learning time with his “fun” time and make it all work for good. Congratulations, Rozco!
Rozco states that dancing positively impacts his education because it helps him keep his mind focused and assists him in making good choices. It also teaches him about ancient history and Rozco affirms he has learned a lot about his culture through his dance. Some interesting facts include the following:
The symbol of Aztec dancing is the bird which represents their kupulua (ka-pute-lee), or their group.
The dances themselves always represent something from nature: the movement of the earth, fire, water, or wind.
The uniforms they wear includes many pieces: the headdress (which includes real bird feathers), the chest plate, and ankle and wrist bands. The uniform represents an ancient Aztec warrior.
The dancers also learn to sing in Spanish and Nahuatl.
Rozco also admits that, although it is hard work and learning the steps isn’t always easy, he never wants to miss practice. When asked if he’d rather stay home and watch TV, Rozco replied, “No, it’s like family. The make it fun to go by always baking cakes and by planning special trips. There are a lot of kids my age. There are even kids in diapers!” It certainly sounds like this young man has found a way to mix his learning time with his “fun” time and make it all work for good. Congratulations, Rozco!
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