Bright heavy costumes brought the Mexico Semester to a close.

The mood of the music and the Norahua folkloric dance group’s presence on stage did indeed bring a grand finale to the semester’s events.

It was well-planned and brought in enough audience participation it set itself apart from the usual cultural events on campus every international semester.

There was a definite air of authenticity with the dances. I, personally, thought this was a great way to end out a semester. It showed Missouri Southern can and does provide students with a livid example of culture and fun together in one performance. The seats in Taylor Auditorium were full, and the picture shoot afterward allowed students and community members alike to get even closer to the “real” thing.

It’s not every day we are exposed to such things. And, that is really the point of the cultural events. This event nailed it. The group may have been learning as well, but it didn’t bother the audience members. We clapped and yelled and attempted to whistle right along with the performers. Obviously, they encouraged this behavior. Otherwise, such a rude audience would have been means to throw out the whole show. Yet, it was fun, and it was informative. The seductive luring nature of education mixed into a fragile and unveiling stage performance is a combination not to be reckoned with. It is a powerful way to introduce some information into our minds.

It worked.

I had not known much about the separate states in Mexico until that night. Although, I know my knowledge is lacking, it still was a pleasant surprise to find myself learning about something I wouldn’t normally have taken a full interest in while at the same time enjoying the process.

The overall performance was simple and contrite, but it came full impact on the audience. Humorous remarks and interesting anecdotes allowed for a lively time while the dancers reenacted several examples of Mexican folk dances. Those who I know in the folkloric dance class at Southern also enjoyed seeing what they had learned brought to life in full by these dancers.

It was fun, what else can I say?

It served the student body well. It did the community some good. We benefited as a whole and I would gladly recommend to other students the idea of taking advantage of such future events brought to us by our University. That, and there are things to do in Joplin on a Friday night. They’re just a bit closer to home than one may have thought.