Jarabe Tapatio!

Hola! My name is Maria and I love to dance. In my country, Mexico, our national dance is the Jarabe Tapatio, also known as the Mexican Hat Dance. People have performed this dance for more than 100 years and it is also my favorite.

The story behind the dance is of love and courtship. People dance in pairs. Men try to impress the women by stamping and tapping their feet. Eventually, the men win the hearts of the women and end the dance with a kiss behind a hat.

Women wear a china poblana dress and a shawl. The dress consists of a white blouse and a long, colorful skirt with multiple layers and different fabrics. The whole dress is embroidered with many beads and sequins. Men wear charro suits and black sombreros. A charro suit is a 3-piece black and white suit with silver buttons on the side of the pants.

Click here for Maria's coloring page!

To read about Maria's Circle of Friends, click here!

For more on Maria, check out:
Maria's Buenas Noches Bubble Bath