Directed by Roberto Salazar
“La Danza del Torito” or “The Dance of the Little Bull” is a folk dance from Guanajuato, Mexico. The dance is accompanied by simple musical instruments and is traditionally performed at the time of the feast day honoring a local patron saint or at the time of some other important even like a successful harvest. This traditional street masquerade dates back to the 19th century, and back then, some female characters in the dance were portrayed by men. Today, the LGBT+ community in Silao, Guanajuato has appropriated one of the characters of the dance, ‘The Marínguía’. ‘El Torito- A Freedom Dance” shows us how the community found a voice in society through this famous icon.
'El Torito una danza libre’ is a first film from Roberto Antonio Salazar Aguiñaga. Born in the city of Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico in 1990, Salazar studied Graphic Design at the University of Guanajuato, where he discovered an interest in photographing people, portraying their stories, their environment, and their lifestyle. ‘El Torito una danza libre’ is his first work as a documentary filmmaker and his first approach to cinema. The film won Best Documentary Short Film in the category of ‘Identity and Belonging’ at the Guanajuato International Film Festival. As director Salazar explains, ‘I have always liked the traditions and celebrations of my country. It is the people who keep them alive, which is why it is valuable to show how we identify with and appropriate them, especially if they serve as a space for expression and liberation.
