Teacher brings Cinco de Mayo to life

BRIGHTON HIGH SCHOOL – Lunch is nothing like normal on this day. Plates piled with traditional Mexican food are lined up in the cafeteria. Outside, girls in flowing dresses dance as though they're on a stage in Vera Cruz.

It's exactly how Gema Monreal pictured it.

"If I'm going to do something, I want to keep it authentic," she said. "Costumes, movements, steps and music."

Monreal is an Advanced Spanish teacher at Brighton High School. She also is the coordinator and choreographer for a student dance group, created to reflect Mexican heritage.

More than 40 percent of Brighton High School students are Spanish-speaking.

"It's part of my culture," answered 16-year-old Alberto Olivarez, when asked why he liked to dance with the group.

About 20 students dance in the group.

They filled a stage outside of the Brighton High School cafeteria Monday afternoon, performing dances from five Mexican states, including Vera Cruz and Chihuahua, for Cinco de Mayo.

"Everything has a meaning. Everything from each state has a meaning," said Monreal.

She selected the states based on her students' heritage.

"I represent something from states that I know I have population here, so they can relate to it," Monreal added.

Monreal came to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico. She began the student dance troupe eight years ago.

Her labor of love goes beyond choreographing the dances. She also makes all of the elaborate costumes.

"I have two sewing machines, so we just sew," Monreal exclaimed with a laugh.

Much of the fabric comes from Mexico.

"It's very difficult to find costumes here. So, if I buy them, it's about a thousand dollars a piece, and we can't afford that," she said.

So instead, Monreal spends months at a time preparing for big performances. The group is scheduled to dance at events across Colorado in the coming months.

Monreal hopes students of all cultures will be inspired by the performances.

"That's my dream," she said. "I'd love to see everybody be a part of it."

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