Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas is a Mexican folkloric dance group at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The mission of Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas is to conserve the traditional Mejicas style; to teach the Mexican culture and historical aspects of the nation through art and interpretation in their dance. The Mejicas use history and art to bring together students and community members. History Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas is one of the oldest student organizations on the UC Santa Cruz campus. It was initiated at Merrill College in 1972 by a small group of students who taught each other dances. Since then, the group has grown and branched out. To this day, Los Mejicas has over 60 active members. Los Mejicas has been dedicated to the preservation and continuation of Mexican folkloric culture. Here, both students and community members learn a variety of dances and repertoires that change every year. The group is self-taught by elected student members and also learns dances from the occasional guest-instructor. Instructors include Maestros from neighboring groups, student members who have learned dances at different dance conferences, and instructors who have previously been in the group. Los Mejicas is committed to group retention and preservation, and serves as more than just a dance group and student organization; it provides a safe space and is a community of peers bound together by the love of dance, and of Mexican culture. Baile Folklórico Baile Folklórico is a form of traditional dance in many Latin American countries. Though its physical presence in Latin America is prevalent, its presence in literature and research is very limited. However, Mexican Folklórico is one of dances that has had some research. Olga Najera-Ramirez, a notable Anthropologist professor at UC Santa Cruz, is a key contributor to the literature of Mexican Folklórico dance. Professor Nájera-Ramírez teaches courses on folklore theory, expressive culture, dance, cultural performances, and Greater Mexico. She also wrote, directed, and produced two bilingual documentaries; the most recent being Danza Folklórica Escénica: El Sello Artístico de Rafael Zamarripa (Mexican Folkloric Dance: Rafael Zamarripa’s Artistic Trademark), which tells the story of this vibrant art form through the life and work of the internationally acclaimed artist and choreographer, Rafael Zamarripa. In her undergraduate career at UCSC, Najera-Ramirez was also a committed member of Los Mejicas and currently acts as their faculty advisor. Cultural Representation Folklórico groups like Los Mejicas act as a public symbol