One of the most stunning and culturally rich dance expression of its kind, the Mexican folk dances are a display of the colorful heritage of the country. Each of the thirty one states in Mexico have their unique dance styles. Most of these dance styles are heavily influenced by the complex history of Mexico, which includes the Spanish Colonial Period, the Mexican War of Independence and the 1910 Mexican Revolution. They showcase a unique mix of the cultural influences on the indigenous cultures in Mexico which have now developed into a beautiful dance forms, with its inspiring Mexican music and the rich colorful attire. Here is a look at some facts, about the famous Mexican folk dances. The History of Mexican Folk Dancing Folk dances in Mexico have traditionally been a way of honoring the Mexican culture and a representation of the struggles and joys of the daily Mexican life. It is a celebration of the religious and cultural rituals and festivals, celebrated by the people of that place. Here are some quick facts about the history of Mexican dancing. The origin of Mexican folk dances lies in the Mesoamerican days, when ritualistic dance was performed to appease the deities by the Mayans and the Aztecs. When the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, they brought with them, the European-style dances such as the waltz, ballet, polka and schottische, which greatly influenced the indigenous dance form. Subsequent conquests allowed the German, French, Spanish and Italian dances, to mingle with the original folk dance and the emergence of three forms of Mexican folk dance.

• The first is 'danza', which is an indigenous ritual dance, performed in religious or community settings.
• The second category of Mexican folk dance forms, is 'mestizo', which showcases the western influences on the indigenous dance, in either the steps or the theme.
• The 'bailes regionales' or the regional dances, are a manifestation of the dance form by each community. This is usually presented in community and theatrical performances.

Each region and state in Mexico, presents the Mexican dance form in a style that reflects its own unique customs and traditions. The characteristics are easily differentiable in the music, the dance and the costumes of the dancers. While some have a more indigenous expression in their folk dance, there are others who draw heavily from the European dance forms, such as the Flamenco. Here is a look into some of the most famous Mexican folk dances. There is an astounding array of folk dancing styles in Mexico La Danza del Venado: La Danza del Venado is a ritualistic dance form performed by the tribe of Yaqui Indians. It is an illustration of a deer hunt, with the dancers wearing wooden masks and impersonating the deer and hunters. Danza de los Voladores: Another ancient Mesoamerican dance style is Danza de los Voladores or the Dance of the Flyers. The dance ritual consists of a man sitting on a platform atop a pole playing a flute while the other dancers fasten a rope around the waist and fall backwards to descend to the ground. The dance form originated to appease the angry gods who had brought drought to the land. Nuevo Leon: There are other popular Mexican folk dance forms, like the one which has originated in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon. Imbibing many of the features of polka dance, it is a loud, lively and intense dance. Matachines: A beautiful and rather dangerous form of dance, is the 'dance of the machetes', which evolved in Nayarit. Men dressed in white pants, a bandana and a traditional white shirt under a colored shirt, bang their machetes together, sending sparks flying. They form machete arches, under which the women dance. They hold their arms high, and twist and bend while shrugging their shoulders. The women wear a colorful attire, which consists of a small flower print ranchera style outfit and a colorful huichol fan. Chinelos: A beautiful carnival dance of the Central Mexico, the Chinelos dance is made to mock the Spanish elite. People wear masks of men with fair skin and long, curled beards along with a huge hat. The dance is more about making fun of the ruling elite instead of showcasing elaborate dance moves. It is also known as the jumping dance as people showcase their innovative jumping and hopping skills. Guerrero: The tropical state of Guerrero which lies along the Pacific coast of Mexico has a range of different dance forms like Chilenos which is done with colorful handkerchiefs. "El Zopilote", "Danza del Tigre" and "El Toro", are dances that have animals as references. Men wear white pants, huaraches and large palm woven hats while the women are dressed in beautiful shift dresses with hair tied in a bun. The Mexican folk dance steps or the zapateado, are dynamic and vary based on the teachings of every individual maestro or teacher. A few basic steps or pasos, as they are commonly known, include the

• Golpe (the basic foot stomp on the ground)
• Remate (series of foot stomps)
• Sequencia (steps are combined with the music)
• Sencillos (single foot stomp)
• Dobles (double foot stomps)
• Paso de tres zapateado (series of three consecutive foot stomps)
• Sequidos (continuous steps)

Performed by both men and women, the traditional form of dancing has taken many forms over the ages. However, the spirit of most of these dances remains rooted in the creative expression and the history of this amazing country.