POPEJOY SCHOOLTIME SERIES TEACHING GUIDE GRADES 2 - 12

D C EE TM H SR A RA C

Dreamcatchers Teaching Guides align with the Common Core Standards.

Mariachi Christmas

MARIACHI CHRISTMAS MON | DEC 10 | 2018 TEACHING GUIDE DREAMCATCHERS 2

Mariachi is more than just a style of music. It emerged out of a

cultural revolution in Mexico and has come to represent the essence

of Mexican heritage. Mariachi music

is composed of sharply contrasting

sounds; the sweet sounds of

the violins stand out against the

brilliance of the trumpets,

and the deep strum of the

guitarron. Mariachi’s rich and

layered melodies reflect the colorful

soul of Mexico. During the Schooltime

Mariachi Christmas performance, students

are invited to sing along, clap, and have

fun with the artists. However, during

solos, we ask that the audience

wait to join in until the rest of

the performers begin singing

again. We recognize that

not all students celebrate

Christmas. We see the

show as a cultural

performance based on

the traditions of Mexico

during the Christmas season. Our lessons

in this teaching guide reflect the theme

of the show. We encourage discussions

about the diversity of family traditions

from home to home and culture to culture, particularly during this

festive season.

Synopsis‘‘Standards

Addressed By Attending the Performance

NMCCSSELA-Literacy.SL.2

NCCASTH:Re9.1

The truest expression of a people is in its dances and its music. Bodies never lie.”

– AGNES DE MILLE

Performed by Mariachi Juvenil Aztlán

& Ballet Folklórico University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Produced by Noberta Fresquez and Fiestas Unlimited

MARIACHI CHRISTMAS MON | DEC 10 | 2018 TEACHING GUIDE DREAMCATCHERS 3

Vocabulary Sharing this vocabulary with your students will enhance their experience of the performance. Encourage them to watch for examples of these elements of music and dance during the performance!

bolero—(boh-LEH-ro) moderate dance/popular song type in 4/4 time

corrido—(coh-REE-doh) a ballad that usually includes facts about historical events

ensemble—(ON-sahm-bel) a small musical group of voices and/or instruments

guitarrón—(ghee-tah-ROHN) large, portable acoustic bass instrument and member of the guitar family, with a V-shaped back, short neck, and six strings

machismo—(mah-CHEES-mo) strong, exaggerated pride in being male

mestizo—(mehs-TEE-soh) the mixture of Hispanic, Indian, and African cultural and musical elements in the new world

polka—(POH-kuh) a lively dance originally from Eastern Europe

ranchera—(rahn-CHEH-rah) a popular song type, with texts dealing with emotions such as love, or nostalgia for the land or people

son—(sohn) a lively instrumental/vocal/dance piece, characterized by the alteration of fast and slow rhythms

sone—(SOH-nay) the Spanish word for “sound”

vihuela—(vee-HWAY-la) a small member of the guitar family, with five strings, a V-shaped back, and short neck; it produces a high sound

waltz—a slow or moderate dance originally from Western Europe

Interesting FactsMariachi songs speak about machismo, love, betrayal, death, politics, revolutionary heroes, and even animals.

Mariachi music was first passed down aurally, meaning that the songs were not written down but taught and learned by ear.

Originally, mariachi singers and musicians most often found employment at haciendas, where they would earn

more than the average laborer. After the revolution, this way of life ended and they began to wander from town to town, singing songs of revolutionary heroes and enemies, and carrying news from one place to another.

Son was a popular style of music in early Mexico. It is a mixture of folk traditions from Spain, Mexico, and Africa. “La Negra” is a well-known song in this style.

Dancers in mariachi performances often rhythmically stomp their heels through a series of gliding or shuffling footwork. Dancing pairs also sometimes perform waltzes, polkas, and schottisches on stage.

Mariachis often help celebrate the greatest moments in the people’s lives including birth, to courting and marriage, to funerals.

Mariachi music has been incorporated into the Roman Catholic Church’s most sacred ritual, Mass. The “Misa Panamericana” is a Mariachi folk mass, sung in Spanish.

With the advent of radio and television, mariachi popularity continued to grow. Due to the success of jazz and Cuban music, the trumpet was incorporated into mariachi music, sometimes upstaging the violins. The traditional harp was dropped from the ensemble.

The history of the charro suit can be traced back to the peasants of Salamanca and Andalucia, Spain. Today, mariachis of both sexes wear the traje de charro (traditional Mariachi costume) to perform, though women can choose a skirt made into a similar style to the tight charro pants.

MARIACHI CHRISTMAS MON | DEC 10 | 2018 TEACHING GUIDE DREAMCATCHERS 4

The Musical InstrumentsEach instrument in the mariachi ensemble serves a special function. The first violin provides the melody, and a second violin plays harmony. Trumpets add strength to the melody played by the violins. The guitars, vihuela, and guitarron provide the rhythm.

The vihuela is an instrument unique to mariachi music as it was originally created by the Coca Indians of Jalisco. The vihuela has a bowed and swollen V-shaped back and five strings. It looks like a small guitar slightly larger than a ukulele. Players strum a vihuela with a thumb

pick producing a crisp, clear sound that

fades quickly. The unique

sound of the vihuela is

the rhythmic and harmonic foundation of

the distinctive mariachi sound. The guitar is played

in collaboration with the vihuela, and is used to supplement the rhythm.

A guitarrón is another instrument unique to mariachi music and it forms the base foundation for the music and gives mariachi its special sound. The guitarrón looks like a large version of the vihuela and it also originated in Jalisco. It has six strings that are plucked in pairs to create a big, deep sound. The guitarrón is widely considered to be the single most essential instrument in mariachi music.

In mariachi music, the trumpet adds strength to the melody. However, in some instances, cup mutes are used to soften the sound of trumpets. Violins are often used to develop the total sound of mariachi music, and blend with the sound of other instruments. Sometimes, flutes, accordions, French horns, and even organs can be incorporated in a mariachi ensemble.

The Dance Son is a kind of traditional Mexican folk melody that varies by region. The lyrics of the son describe country life, including regional plants, animals, and country people. Each regional son has a distinct style of dance that accompanies it. Often, the dance tells the story of a farmyard courtship.

The dance technique most often associated with the son is the zapateado, a type of footwork that originated in Spain. Performers skillfully drive the heels of their shoes or boots into the dance floor, pounding out swift, syncopated rhythms, which complement the musical instruments.

A well-known zapateado dance is the huapango. In this dance, couples line up in opposite rows. The upper part of the body is held perfectly upright as the feet perform rapid, intricate, shuffling maneuvers. Today, the dance is sometimes performed with a glass of water on the dancers’ heads to show off their muscular control.

Another kind of folk dance is called the jarabe. Jarabes are a medley of different dance steps and tunes, including sones, danzas, jotas, and polkas. The most famous Mexican folk dance is in this category: the Jarabe Tapatio (the Mexican Hat Dance). Although it originated in the city of Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, it has become the national dance of Mexico.

vihuela

trumpet

guitarrón

MARIACHI CHRISTMAS MON | DEC 10 | 2018 TEACHING GUIDE DREAMCATCHERS 5

BY IVÁN LENOVY WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán circa 1950. This troupe is recognized as the oldest and most famous mariachi ensemble. They were founded by Gaspar Vargas in the late 1890s.

History of Mariachi MusicPrior to the arrival of the conquistador Hernan Cortes, Mexican music was an integral part of religious celebrations. Most music was played with rattles, drums, reed and clay flutes, and horns made from conch-shells. As Christianity spread, imported Spanish instruments like the violin, guitar, harp, brass horns, and woodwinds began to make appearances in traditional music. The Indian and mestizo musicians not only learned to play European instruments, but also to build their own, sometimes giving them shapes and tunings of their own invention.

Music and dance were important elements of Spanish theatrical productions, which were enormously popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world during the colonial period. The typical Spanish theatrical orchestra of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries was comprised of violins (usually two), a harp and guitars (or guitar variants). It was from this group that several of the most distinctive Mexican regional ensembles developed, including the mariachi.

The word ‘mariachi’ has Native roots. Another theory suggests that the name comes from the type of wood traditionally used to make the village platform on which mariachis would perform. One thing is clear: today the word ‘mariachi’ means one of the most enchanting musical styles in the world.

MARIACHI CHRISTMAS MON | DEC 10 | 2018 TEACHING GUIDE DREAMCATCHERS 6

ObjectivesUsing the lyrics and a recording of “Las Mañanitas” as an example, students will write their own rhyming pattern lyrics for a mariachi song specific to the imagery of a person, place or event.

Students will:

• create original lyrics in either English or Spanish inspired by mariachi music;

• create lyrics that reflect a specific occasion;

• follow a rhyme scheme.

Write a Mariachi Song Lesson 1

Grades 6 - 12 NCCSS

ELA-Literacy.RI.4

ELA-Literacy W.4

ELA-Literacy.SL.1

ELA-Literacy. L.3

NCASMU:Cn10.0

NCSS StandardsStrand IX.a

• Recording of “Las Mananitas”

• “Las Mananitas” lyric sheet in English and Spanish

• Pen

• Paper

Procedure 1. Review the history of mariachi music. Note that mariachi groups are most often seen playing at

important family celebrations (i.e. weddings, birthdays, or any other public festivities).

2. Distribute “Las Mañanitas” lyric sheet. Ask how many students are familiar with the song. If students

are familiar, ask them to cite occasions on which they have heard the song. Who was singing it? To

whom was it being sung? What was the occasion? If students have no familiarity with the song, explain

that the song is a traditional Mexican song performed for people on their birthdays.

3. Play the song for the students. Have them read along with the lyrics.

4. Explain that the students will be writing their own lyrics for a mariachi song. The song will be for a

special occasion: birthday, anniversary, wedding, funeral, farewell party, etc. Ask students to choose an

occasion for which to write and to think of the type of sentiment s/he wants to convey for the occasion.

5. It might be helpful if students think of a specific person to address in their song. Instruct them to

evoke imagery that would be meaningful, either to themselves or to the person for whom they are

writing.

6. Be sure to note the rhyme scheme of the song. It may be helpful to read the Spanish lyrics out loud

to identify the rhyme scheme used in “Las Mañanitas.” Students don’t have to repeat that exact rhyme

scheme, but should follow some sort of rhyming pattern in their lyrics.

7. When the lyrics to their songs are complete, have the students share them in class.

Extensions/Modifications

Assessment

• If students are fluent enough, have them write the songs in Spanish, or help them to translate their songs into Spanish once they are written.

• Set the songs to music. Identify which mariachi instruments would be featured prominently in the song.

• Younger students can do this assignment together as a group with teacher assistance.

• Students create lyrics that are: 1) specific to an occasion, 2) follow an identifiable rhyme scheme, and

3) make sense to others.

• Quality of participation

Materials

MARIACHI CHRISTMAS MON | DEC 10 | 2018 TEACHING GUIDE DREAMCATCHERS 7

Grades 3 - 6NCCSS

ELA-Literacy RL.3

ELA-Literacy.SL.1

NCSS StandardsStrand IX.a

Objectives

Procedure 1. Discuss some of the Christmas traditions presented in the show Mariachi Christmas. What holiday

traditions were familiar to students? What holiday traditions were unfamiliar? Tell students that they will

be reading a story that features a New Mexican holiday tradition.

2. Read The Farolitos of Christmas by Rudolfo Anaya.

3. Discuss the story with students. What does the book say is the reason that Abuelo would light

luminarias on Christmas Eve? Why was he unable to do so? What is the difference between a luminaria

and farolito? You may bring up the fact that many people use the term luminaria to describe a farolito. Ask

the class if they believe these words can be used interchangeably.

4. Ask the students about their own Christmas traditions. Do any of their families put out farolitos? Do any

of them travel to see farolitos at select locations here in town or at some of the pueblos? What are their

family traditions for Christmas Eve?

5. Have the class make their own farolitos.

a.) Open the paper bags and put a handful of sand into each one (approx.1 cup).

b.) Place a candle in the bag. Try to center it as much as possible.

c.) Line one or more of the paths to the school with the farolitos. If your school has a winter holiday event, light the farolitos on the evening of that event.

This lesson includes reading The Farolitos of Christmas by Rudolfo Anaya, discussing Christmas traditions in New Mexico, learning the difference between luminarias and farolitos, and instruction on how to make farolitos and use them safely.

Students will:

• learn about the tradition of placing farolitos out on Christmas Eve;

• learn the difference between a luminaria and a farolit;

• assemble their own farolito.

Farolitos for ChristmasLesson 2

Extensions/Modifications

Assessment

• Hold a class fundraiser where you sell assembled farolitos. Have the class collaborate to create a brief

write up of the reasons and traditions behind the farolitos. Include the write up with all orders filled.

• Discuss other holidays or occasions where candles are lit. Why are candles important? What about

the lighting of candles is the same? Are there any differences? Who lights the candles? Why? How do

these actions make you feel?

• Quality of participation

Materials • The Farolitos of Christmas by Rudolfo Anaya

• Paper bags

• Candles

• Sand

MARIACHI CHRISTMAS MON | DEC 10 | 2018 TEACHING GUIDE DREAMCATCHERS 8

Bonus Explorations What traditions did the students observe in the show? Discuss the Posadas. Have any of the students ever participated in one? If so, what role did they play? What was the experience like? Who did they do it with? Was it different from what they saw on stage? How? What was the same? Watch a video on La Posadas.

Younger students can learn to do the Mexican Hat Dance or Jarabe Tapatio. Divide into groups of two or three students and have each group research one of the following topics. Encourage them to find pictures, quotes, and information that could lead to a discussion of how each individual or group fulfilled a dream to perform traditional mariachi music. Include information on obstacles they faced in making their dreams of singing mariachi music come true. Allow each group to share their findings with the class. (ex. Lucha Reyes, Lola Beltran, Mariachi Los Coronelas, Mariachi Las Adelitas, Mariachi Michoacano, Mariachi Las Estrellas de Mexico, Linda Ronstadt, Sebastien de la Cruz)

ResourcesBOOKS

Anaya, Rudolfo A., and Edward Gonzales. The Farolitos of Christmas. New York: Hyperion for Children, 1995. Print.

Avalos, Cecilia. A Mariachi I’ll Be! Modern Curriculum Pr; Big Book Edition, 1989. (Ages 4-8). A little girl

dreams of becoming a Mariachi player when she grows up.

Nevin, Jeff. Virtuoso Mariachi. University Press of America, 2002.

Sheehy, Daniel. Mariachi Music in America: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. Oxford University Press, USA, 2005.

WEBSITES

Make Songs Like the Mariachis

Make Paper Sombreros

The First and Largest Mariachi Website

The Involvement of Women in Mariachi Music

The Official Site of the Famous Mariachi Festival

More Information on Mariachi

Samples of Mariachi mp3’s and Lyrics

About the CompaniesAppearing for the second time at Popejoy Hall, Ballet Folklórico University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and Mariachi Juvenil Aztlan headline this year’s show. The two groups have an extensive performance relationship, previously appearing together at both the American College Dance Association (ACDA) South Conference and the National Conference. Mariachi Juvenil Aztlan, UTRGV’s up and coming Mariachi group, has already enjoyed enormous success, placing first in their category at the 2015 Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza (Texas’ largest mariachi festival) in San Antonio.

Questions to Engage & ConnectWhy is Christmas the only holiday celebrated in this show?

What did the show make you think about and how did it make you feel?

How is Christmas in Mexico different or the same as in New Mexico?

What do you think are the benefits of learning about other cultures and customs?

If you do not speak Spanish, what was it like not understanding everything that was said? If Spanish is your first language what was it like for you to not understand what was being said? Discuss.

About the Schooltime SeriesThe Popejoy Schooltime Series brings national and international touring companies and performers to Albuquerque. Each company is selected with youth and family audiences in mind, and our repertoire reflects the cultural diversity of our global community. The Schooltime Series includes new plays, familiar stories, literary works, biographies, mythologies, folktales, science shows, music, dance, and puppetry. These professional performing artists create entertaining educational experiences designed to encourage literacy, creativity, communication, and imagination.

The Dreamcatchers Teaching GuidesBy their nature, the arts engage students in learning through observing, listening, and moving, offering learners various ways to acquire information and act on it to build understanding. They also offer a natural way to differentiate instruction as the arts offer multiple modes of representation, expression, and engagement. Additionally, the arts provide an authentic context in which students solve problems. By engaging in learning in one subject, learning in another subject is reinforced and extended, and vice versa. These guides introduce students to what they will see, a basic vocabulary associated with the show, fun facts, vetted resources, and activities providing a connection between the arts and classroom curriculum.

Popejoy HallPopejoy Hall is New Mexico’s premiere nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. Our mission is to provide access to the performing arts for all New Mexicans.

House Policies & EtiquetteThe inside of a theatre where the audience sits is called a “house” and to get along, have fun, and enjoy the shows, there are rules to follow. Schooltime is a wonderful opportunity to learn how good behavior in a live theater is different from watching television. For guidelines to practice with your class and chaperones, including safety, special needs, food and drink, backpacks, cell phones, photography, recordings, and more, go to schooltimeseries.com/house-policies.

Dreamcatcher CreditsDreamcatchers are Teaching Guides produced by the Education Department of Popejoy Hall, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Selected Dreamcatchers Teaching Guide materials provided by MexConnect, Puro Mariachi, eHow, and other resources noted within this guide..

The Schooltime Series is a proud member of

The Popejoy Schooltime

Series is supported in part by awards from:

P O P E J OY H A L L : U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D E D ~ C O M M U N I T Y F U N D E D

The Eugene & Marion Castiglia Popejoy

Children’s Schooltime Endowment

The Popejoy Schooltime Education Endowment