The Mexican Dance Group of Australia has been active in Sydney for over 40 years. Their repertoire includes folkloric dances from many states including Jalisco, Veracruz, Guerrero, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. The Group rehearses in Campsie every Saturday afternoon, providing classes for all ages, from beginners through to advanced, including a performance ensemble. Several dancers have been in the group since childhood —some have been dancing for almost 30 years— and although many are of Mexican heritage, the group is open to all who wish to participate, of any and all nationalities.
Emilia Gómez, the director of the Group, began dancing in utero. Her parents, Memo and Rebecca Gómez were the previous co-directors: Memo began dancing with the group in 1975 and took over leadership in 1978, while Rebecca joined in 1988 and quickly became teacher, costume-maker, and co-director. In September 2013, after decades of dedication and hard work, Memo and Rebecca made the difficult decision to retire.
The Group's dedication was crowned in 2013, when they won First Prize in the Sydney Eisteddfod for their execution of huasteco dances from Tamaulipas. This success was repeated in 2014 with another Sydney Eisteddfod First Place awarded for their medley of Jalisco dances. They also had the honour of participating in the Champions of Dance, with the winners from each dance category in the Sydney Eisteddfod. This event was televised on Network Ten.
Another highlight on the Group’s trajectory was a trip to Mexico in 1998, to participate in the 19th National Folkloric Dance Showcase (XIX Muestra Nacional de la Danza Folklórica) in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The Group was invited to perform at the inauguration of the Festival, held in the prestigious Teatro Degollado. As part of the three-week long festival, they also performed in several remote communities in Jalisco and Nayarit. During this trip, the Mexican Dance Group of Australia was also invited to perform in Puebla, Memo Gómez's natal city.
The Group actively engages in community and charitable work in both Mexico and Australia. Through fundraising events and donations, it supports Misión Mexico, an Australian-run children's refuge in Tapachula, Chiapas. Moreover, the Group has always supported the broader community at home in Australia by performing at festivals, charity shows, community events and private functions in every imaginable venue, from the Opera House to the most humble of community halls in Sydney, and even interstate. Thus, the Group promotes Mexican culture in the wider community whilst also strengthening the Mexican cultural heritage among the Mexican-Australian community of Sydney.
Under Emilia Gómez’s directorship, the group has established a professional relationship with Hector Patricio and his musical group Fiesta Viva. The Group was also honoured to have had the opportunity of creating and performing bespoke choreography to accompany the Mexican classical duet Duo Deconet at the closing of the Aztec Exhibition at the Australian Museum. Emilia looks forward to bringing new vitality to the Mexican Dance Group of Australia, while also continuing the legacy her parents created.
Emilia Gómez, the director of the Group, began dancing in utero. Her parents, Memo and Rebecca Gómez were the previous co-directors: Memo began dancing with the group in 1975 and took over leadership in 1978, while Rebecca joined in 1988 and quickly became teacher, costume-maker, and co-director. In September 2013, after decades of dedication and hard work, Memo and Rebecca made the difficult decision to retire.
The Group's dedication was crowned in 2013, when they won First Prize in the Sydney Eisteddfod for their execution of huasteco dances from Tamaulipas. This success was repeated in 2014 with another Sydney Eisteddfod First Place awarded for their medley of Jalisco dances. They also had the honour of participating in the Champions of Dance, with the winners from each dance category in the Sydney Eisteddfod. This event was televised on Network Ten.
Another highlight on the Group’s trajectory was a trip to Mexico in 1998, to participate in the 19th National Folkloric Dance Showcase (XIX Muestra Nacional de la Danza Folklórica) in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The Group was invited to perform at the inauguration of the Festival, held in the prestigious Teatro Degollado. As part of the three-week long festival, they also performed in several remote communities in Jalisco and Nayarit. During this trip, the Mexican Dance Group of Australia was also invited to perform in Puebla, Memo Gómez's natal city.
The Group actively engages in community and charitable work in both Mexico and Australia. Through fundraising events and donations, it supports Misión Mexico, an Australian-run children's refuge in Tapachula, Chiapas. Moreover, the Group has always supported the broader community at home in Australia by performing at festivals, charity shows, community events and private functions in every imaginable venue, from the Opera House to the most humble of community halls in Sydney, and even interstate. Thus, the Group promotes Mexican culture in the wider community whilst also strengthening the Mexican cultural heritage among the Mexican-Australian community of Sydney.
Under Emilia Gómez’s directorship, the group has established a professional relationship with Hector Patricio and his musical group Fiesta Viva. The Group was also honoured to have had the opportunity of creating and performing bespoke choreography to accompany the Mexican classical duet Duo Deconet at the closing of the Aztec Exhibition at the Australian Museum. Emilia looks forward to bringing new vitality to the Mexican Dance Group of Australia, while also continuing the legacy her parents created.