Peoria Magazine is no longer in production. Publication ended with the November issue. Peoria Folklore Ballet blends traditional dance and community spirit to keep Mexican culture alive and thriving. One of the most colorful and liveliest places to be in central Illinois is wherever the Peoria Folklore Ballet is performing. A rainbow of brilliant reds, vibrant oranges, blazing yellows, sharp whites and rosy pinks swirls across the dance floor as girls, ages three to 14, spin in dresses that wave ina billowing tide to the equally spirited brass, string andpercussion music.
The rippling of skirts never ceases as the dancers punctuate every beat with nimble steps, in and out of one formation to the next, their movements animated by an enthusiasm that is infectious to anyone watching. Buoyed by a cheering crowd, the dancers meet face to face fleetingly amidst spins, bends and dips before surging outward againβthe tide of rainbow skirts stills only as the last note of music swells. Watching the dancers, Miranda beams like a proud mother to this group of girls who have known her most of their lives.
Miranda leads by example in this small communityβas well as the larger community of central Illinois, which she has called home for many years. Indeed, Miranda brings a passionate appreciation for Mexican culture to all she does. And she does a lot. And since August, she has assumed another professional title: business owner. They carry imports that Latinx families might consider staplesβnot food so much as household goods, small appliances, and various toys and candies that are not widely available in the United States.
Like most things Miranda does, the boutique is a community-wide effort. The clerk behind the cash register is her goddaughter. Many of the shoppers, from kids clamoring for fidget toys to adults scouting for wide-brimmed hats, are people the Miranda family know well, who are eager to support her new business.
And the parking lot of her store is where Peoria Folklore Ballet practices. Because this kind of dance is typically held outdoors for festivals and celebrations, the girls rehearse onsiteβthough Miranda would like to find a suitable indoor venue so they can practice all year round. These outdoor practices have prepared the girls to perform at all kinds of events around the city, at schools, libraries, churches and elsewhere.
