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The show started at 7 p.m. and ran until 9:30 p.m., but most students were prepping for well over five hours.

“Once we got to the auditorium the excitement and nerves kicked in,” said Elide Solis, a dancer for Granite’s advanced class and Orgullo, Gonzales’ private dance group.

It was the first year that the beginner and advanced class’ performances were held on the same day. The plan was to have the advance classes perform on Saturday, and the beginners perform on Friday, but due to conflicts with Granite Hills High School’s Christmas Ball, all the performances were moved to Friday night.

The schedule change caused a lot of anxiety for Gonzales and his dancers.

“It was pretty crazy,” stated Solis. “There were girls doing their hair and makeup everywhere.”

Another new tradition was the students from Monache High School and Granite High School having to get bussed from their schools to the auditorium during their lunch break.

“I had a high level of nerves,” stated Gonzales. “I’ve never experienced that, having to bus and dress 300 students right before the show.”

The stage was stacked with boxes and clothing racks with all the different costumes. What most people do not realize is that every class does dances associated with different regions of Mexico. Along with the different regions come different dances, outfits, head pieces and even jewelry.

Even with the time constraint, all the students managed to get dressed and situated behind the curtain with an hour to spare.

“That’s when I was calm,” stated Gonzales. “It was the first year that my dancers were ready at 6 p.m.”

The doors opened at 5:30 p.m. and there was a line waiting to get in. All the students boasted that there were more people in the audience than years before; there were over 900 spectators present.

The beginners from Monache, Granite, and Porterville performed in the first half of the show, along with Gonzales’ children dancers, then after came the advanced classes and Orgullo.

“One of my favorite parts was watching the kids dance,” stated Marlene Pantoja, a spectator. “They were so cute in their skirts, it was adorable.”

There was also a live band playing and different performances from singers. The crowd got especially excited when one of the advanced classes danced Sinaloa, which steps and songs are upbeat and fast.

“It was definitely entertaining,” stated Janie Felix, a spectator. “All the performances were exciting to watch, it was an evening well spent.”

At the end of the show, when Gonzales was presenting all his dancers to the audience, Granite’s advanced class surprised him with a plaque and frames. The plaque was a thank you to show the students’ gratitude for all of Gonzales’ hard work. The frames had pictures of the class and everyones signature along with a small message.

“I would like to say thank you,” said Gonzales. “Thank you Granite’s advanced class for my plaque and frames and for making me feel like king that night.”

Oro de Mexico’s next shows will be held on Friday, April 13, and Saturday, April 14.