SHE'S HOOKED ON FOLKLORICO DANCER WINS NATIONWIDE COMPETITION.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

NEWHALL - It was the sapateado steps Maria Romero did after her first lessons that told Teresa Romero her daughter was hooked on ballet folklorico.

``I heard they were giving lessons at the community center,'' said her mother, Teresa. ``I told her if she didn't like it, she could stop. The instructor welcomed her with a smile and made her feel good and in the middle of the class, she came up to me with tears in her eyes and said she liked it.''

Maria was only 7, but she quickly picked up the various steps and inflections in the performances where every song tells a story. Now 16 and a junior at Alemany High School in the San Fernando Valley, she has made folklorico a major part of her life.

``I love how the music and the steps go together,'' Maria said as her mother helped attach a costume headpiece to her hair. ``When I'm on stage, I just get lost in the music and go into my own world.''

Maria recently brought home first-place honors as a soloist at the USA National Folklorico Competition at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. As part of the Santa Clarita Community Center ballet folklorico group, she has won several awards. This was the first time she competed in the individual category and the first time a Santa Clarita dancer has won in that category.

She laughs when asked how many costumes she has, each one representing a different state in Mexico that the 40-member troupe wears during its performances at community events and competitions. Her solo competition involved three costume changes. For the main piece, she wore a beribboned bright fuschia dress that tied around her slender waist and included a headpiece with bright pink and white medallions representing the Mexican state of Jalisco.

``All dancers have to wear their hair in a bun and each costume has a different headpiece,'' she said, showing off the braided black yarn woven with pink ribbons. ``It represents the original ladies of the region and how they wore their hair.

``I have learned so much from folklorico. Every dance tells a story; the music, weather, traditions, even the instruments vary from state to state.''

Her award-winning solo featured two songs: ``Las Olas,'' which means ``the waves'' and is an homage to the ocean, and ``Angel,'' a love song about a young girl.

``It was really dramatic,'' Teresa Romero said.

The young women - and a few young men - practice their craft two or three afternoons a week at the community center in downtown Newhall. The dance group is close-knit, resulting in some long-term friendships for both Maria and her sister, Cristina, 12, who has been dancing with the group for the past 6 years.

Asked about the ratio of male-to-female dancers, Maria and Cristina both laughed. Teresa said Maria volunteered to dress as a charro last year for a competition, for which the group won a trophy. Maria said the teacher makes the dancers learn both parts and switch roles every now and then to stay well-rounded in the dance.

``Ballet folklorico takes a lot of dedication, patience and determination,'' she said. ``You have to be ready to work hard.''

``And enjoy it,'' her mother added.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Maria Romero placed first as a soloist at the USA National Folklorico Competition in Pomona.

(2 -- color) Maria Romero, now a champion dancer, knew she loved folklorico when she was only 7 years old.

David Crane/Staff Photographer