In its second year, Pasos Midwest gathered Mexican folkloric dance groups from across the Midwest at Wayne State University for a three-day event featuring workshops, performances, and professional evaluations. The event is organized and hosted by Ballet Folclórico of Wayne State University. Groups traveled from as far as Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, with some driving over 11 hours, to participate in the festival.
The event tackles a major challenge facing groups in the region: being geographically isolated from both Mexico and each other. Mexican folkloric dance, or baile folkloric, preserves region-specific traditions through choreographed performances. Since each of Mexico’s states has its own distinct styles, costumes, and meanings, accessing authentic instruction in the United States can be difficult.
“Groups have been around for 20, 22 years in this area, but nothing like this has ever been done,” says Adriana Cecilia Vázquez Ortiz, director of Ballet Folclórico Xochihua from Columbus, Ohio.
The festival follows a three-day model. The first two days feature intensive workshops with maestros (master instructors). These sessions teach technique and cultural context, covering the history behind each step, the meaning of costume choices, and the regional significance of movements.
On the third day, groups receive professional adjudication, a structured evaluation process where expert judges assess performances. Unlike traditional competitions, Pasos Midwest does not award first, second, or third place rankings. Instead, every participating group receives detailed evaluations in seven categories: technique, projection, choreography, rhythm, costume accuracy, step execution, and general impression. Groups receive division rankings similar to grades, along with written feedback for improvement.
“These allow us to self-evaluate and know how we’re doing,” says Maestro Roberto Martínez Rocha, director of Ballet Folclórico de la Universidad de Guanajuato. “It’s a way to grow and improve positively.”
The festival also addresses a financial challenge. “When you do folklore, you almost never get paid in the United States, and that’s a barrier,” says founder Verónica Beltrán. “If students need to make money, they won’t dance folklore, right?”
What started as a conversation about raising scholarship funds has evolved into Pasos Midwest. The goal is to create a multi-year fund supporting high school, university, and post-graduate students.
Pasos Midwest returns in 2026. Information about more events by Ballet Folklórico de Wayne State University is available at bfwaynestate.weebly.com
“I know it will take a few years to create a big endowment, but that’s the goal,” Beltrán says.
Alejandro Ugalde Sandoval is a Detroit-based independent photographer whose work is rooted in his experience as a Mexican immigrant. He approaches every story with deep respect for the cultures and people he documents. Most days you’ll find him chasing perfect light in busy kitchens, capturing neighborhood events, or creating space for genuine moments during portrait sessions.
Through his lens, Alejandro works to bridge information gaps and spark more inclusive conversations within and about Southeast Michigan.
This article and photos were made possible thanks to a generous grant to EL CENTRAL Hispanic News by Press Forward, the national movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news. Learn more at www.pressforward.news.
