The locos danced through the afternoon under a hot and humid sun, made more challenging by the layers of costuming and bulky headpieces. After hours of parading and trance-like dance, catharsis must come, a cleansing, a purifying, exhaustion.

I don’t know how they do it.

Still, as the sun began to dip behind the San Antonio church, the locos gave way to the folkloricos.

During the early afternoon on Sunday and well into dark, groups of men and women in colorful costumes presented enchanting ethnic dances.

Here’s a small sampling of their dances. There was so much more and pictures barely convey the energy and exuberance that goes into these moments.

(Click on any picture to enlarge.)

I know one person in the audience who appreciated every step. As we were leaving, my wife, Rose Alcantara, eagerly told me about her folkloric dancing experiences in the San Francisco area while still in grade school. They did some of the same dances that we saw in San Antonio.

“We’d travel to schools all over the Bay Area and give presentations,” she said “This brought back so many memories!”

She was still smiling at dinnertime.

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