Local kids form family dance troupe

Martha Amezcua

Four years ago, Martha Amezcua and two older sisters formed their KidsMex dance group This month, the troupe will be featured at the three-day International Folkfest at Queeny Park.

All but one of the 9-member troupe are from the same extended family. Members range in age from 5 1/2-year old Alberto Alcantar to 15-year-old Martha.

Martha is now a 9th grader at Cleveland High School in the City of St. Louis.

"We formed the dance group in 1999. We first performed in the Our Lady of Guadeloupe Festival that year," Martha said.

This will be the second year that KidsMex has performed in the International Folkfest. The folkfest runs Friday through Sunday, Oct. 17-19.

KidsMex will perform on Saturday. They are one of a number of all-kid groups in the fest.

Diana Guzman and Luis Godina

The folkfest features dozens adult and kid groups performing entertainment from their native countries. If you like ethnic entertainment, there'll be something for you at folkfest.

In addition, there are ethnic food and storytelling booths. There's a children's area with mask- and puppet-making. Also, there's a Cultural Discovery Room with cooking demonstrations and dancing lessons.

For complete information about the 2003 International Folkfest, go to the International Institute's website at www.intlinst.org.

Martha said KidsMex do both folk and modern Latin dances. There's even a belly dancer.

Gisela Guzman

All the dancer choreography is done by Martha and her sisters. The dances are without musical accompaniment. They keep time and rhythm with their feet.

The kids get together twice a month for practice sessions. In warm weather, they practice their dance numbers in the backyard of Martha's home in south St. Louis.

"When it gets colder, we practice indoors at a nearby church or school," she added.

The group performs at least once every other month. With all its different population groups, St. Louis has many opportunities for ethnic entertainment.

Martha said the KidsMex kids come from a long line of dancers. "My grandmother, mother and older sisters all danced," she said.

Areli Godida and Alberto Alcantar

One thing the KidsMex needs is more boys. Only three of the nine members are boys.

Martha said dance numbers go better when they danced with a boy and girl as partners.

One of the problems with recruiting boys is they get involved in sports. For instance, 14-year-old Luis Godina said, "I like sports better than dancing." He said he's involved in football, soccer, basketball and baseball.

The other boys, besides Luis, are Alberto Alcantar and 9-year-old Daniel Godina.

Other girls, besides Martha, are 7-year-old Areli Godida, 10-year-old Diana Guzman, 11-year-old Alejandra Godina, 12-year-old Gisela Guzman and 12-year-old Brenda Hernandez.

Alejandra and Daniel Godina

All but Alberto were born in Mexico. All of the kids are bilingual. In talking with each other, they often use a mixture of English and Spanish.

Although she speaks English well, Martha said writing English is easier for her. She said, "I need to work to build up my speaking vocabulary."

"I don't want to lose either my English or my Spanish," she added.

Martha said she wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. "I want to help Hispanic Latins when they come here," she said.

Luis said he's interested in a career in computers.

He said speaking English is easier for him than writing. Several kids are enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) to improve both their writing and speaking of English.

Asked about living in St. Louis, Luis said he likes California better, because of warmer weather. "You have to stay indoors too much here in cold weather," he said.

Twelve-year-old Gisela Guzman said she enjoys the dancing because it helps to keep the family together. She's one of the group that has to travel all the way from Hazelwood in north St. Louis County to take part in practices.