USC, located in the heart of a largely Latine community, has remained a predominantly white institution (PWI) since its establishment in 1880. Situated in the University Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles, 78% of the local population identifies as Hispanic, according to Data USA. In contrast, USC’s 2023 student demographics report reveals that only 15.9% of its students identify as Hispanic. Due to a lack of representation in the student body, Latine students have fostered a sense of community at USC through clubs like Grupo Folklórico de USC (GFUSC) a Mexican folk dance group that has become a safe space for Latine students.
GFUSC was founded at USC in the 80s. Due to reasons unknown to current members, it was discontinued for several years before being reinstated in 2018. Since then it has been a vital part of many Latine students’ experience at USC, allowing them a place to embrace their unique culture through the art of dance.
The dance of Folklórico tells stories, or “folktales,” through the music and the movements.
“Folklórico tells the stories of Mexican culture, its folktales, we’re telling folktales through the form of dance,” said Evelyn Marquez, a graduate student who has been involved with GFUSC since her freshman year at USC.
She explains that the dance moves vary by region and embrace different region-specific cultures. For example, coastal areas like Veracruz and Oaxaca are represented in Folklórico through wave-like movements that are emphasized by the flowy dresses the female dancers wear. Certain footsteps are dragged out to mimic the sound of the waves hitting the sand in seaside states and some even recreate the sound of animals for northern regions like Baja California.
President of GFUSC, Alissa Rojas, is a senior and has been a member of the club since her freshman year. It has been a constant in her USC experience that has helped her form wonderful friendships and interact with her culture on a deeper level. “Dance is a way that I really connect with my culture,” she said, “so I really enjoy being able to go at the end of the day, whether I’ve had a hard day or not, and being able to just dance and celebrate my culture.”
Rojas is Mexican-American, originally from a small town in Texas where she often felt isolated and disconnected from her heritage, which is what originally drove her to first join GFUSC. Part of their mission statement is that they are accessible to everyone.
The club, which holds rehearsals every Monday and Wednesday in the Jefferson Parking lot on campus, is currently in preparation for their Día de los Muertos Showcase.
“We accept people from the community, students, anyone interested in learning the dance. We’re accessible to all, that’s a very big part of our mission,” said Denise Bermudez-Canciobello, who serves as Historian of Grupo Folklórico de USC. She is responsible for preserving and collecting memorabilia from showcases past and present.
“Being able to connect with my Cuban heritage and my Mexican heritage at once in one group, even for a team that’s more centered around Mexican culture, is really nice,” said Bermudez-Canciobello. “It’s very important for USC students that are Latin American to be able to find their community and I think GFUSC has definitely given me that.”
Bermudez-Canciobello echoed Marquez’s sentiments, “Hearing the music and seeing the steps and being taught where they all come from reminds us of how mixed our roots are and I think it centers us in our culture,” she said.
Bermudez-Canciobello encourages people, whether they identify as Latin American or not, to join GFUSC, she believes it is both a productive and engaging way of interacting with Latine culture.
“Having people learn hands-on about our culture through dance is sometimes easier than having people read about our history. I feel like it helps them connect with it more personally. Dance is a very social art, you can make a lot of connections. Friendships are always being born at GFUSC,” said Bermudez-Canciobello.
As USC continues to evolve in a predominantly Latine area, organizations like GFUSC provide a vital platform for cultural expression and unity. Through dance, storytelling, and community engagement, GFUSC preserves cultural traditions and fosters a sense of belonging that transcends the boundaries of nationality. In a university where underrepresentation remains an ongoing challenge, the resilience and vibrancy of groups like GFUSC show the power of community in creating inclusive spaces that celebrate diversity.
“It’s really important to have a safe space for our community and also to have a place to see our culture represented,” said Rojas. “It’s really nice to be able to come to a place like USC, a PWI, and make a space there.” She anticipates the attendance of several community members from the surrounding areas of USC at the showcase.
The showcase on November 9th will start at 3 p.m. in the USC Village and is open to all for free. More information is available on their instagram page @uscfolklorico.