The boys run all around with red scarves in their hands. The girls line up for makeup while their mothers make last-minute adjustments to their typical dresses. Excitement and anxiety are the air. It’s not a presentation of the national ballet, but it seems as if it were for the 35 children of Nosara’s Serapio López Fajardo School. They will give their first public presentation after having practiced the typical dance choreographies for more than three months. The day to make their dream come true has arrived.

It’s a Friday, December 17 and the sixth grade students, sitting straight up in their chairs, with their white shirts and blue pants, are going to graduate from primary school. The kindergarten teacher, Seidy Ugalde, with microphone in hand, presents the Nicoyan choreographer Moisés Cordonero. Ugalde announces that this young man traveled every Friday during the months of September, October and November so the childen in the recently formed dance group could practice under his guidance.

Finally, the music starts and the youngest group enters the stage. All are between 5 and 8 years old. After dancing a folkloric Costa Rican song, the little ones turn the stage over to the group of 9 - 12 year olds. Before taking the stage, Jaison Duarte Matarrita, age 9, says, “I feel anxiety and happiness,” and his mother smiles proudly at his side, nodding her head.

The idea arose for the group came from six parents and two teachers, Seidy Ugalde y Silvia Hernández López. They want to make sure the children grow up appreciating their own culture. They envision taking the shows to events and area hotels as a way of promoting the local arts. The group, for several months, organized food sales, looked for donations from businesses and received economic support from the Asociación de Desarrollo (Development Association) of Nosara to be able to pay for the traditional dance outfits. The final donation from Garza landowner Agustín Urbina arrived just in time to pay the necessary 600,000 colones ($1200).

“We are very grateful to those who supported and believed in us,” said Silvia Hernández López. Now that they have formed the dance group, they will be performing in diverse hotels and also in the Nosara fiestas at the end of January.

Hernández López commented, “Our objective is to have a fund to cover the cost of transportation and food so the group can give presentations outside Nosara.” The price of the shows still is not confirmed, but the organizers are open to receive any type of help to achieve their objective.

When the show ends, they announce the handing out of diplomas in the school. The presentation was a success. Parents, teachers and students applaud loudly and you can feel that the Guanacaste spirit got into those present.

If you would like to contact the typical dance groups, you can do so at 8329-8889.

Getting ready for the show.

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