[Noozhawk’s note: First in a series on Old Spanish Days. Click here for the second article.]

Dance has been the backbone of our summer community Fiesta since Santa Barbara’s very first Old Spanish Days in 1924.

We enjoy dance at our many Fiesta venues, we see dance at celebrations throughout town, and we dance any chance we can. This community loves dance.

Dance allows us to express ideas, to express emotion, and to release energy in a creative and exciting way.

For decades, hundreds of local youths have participated in dance year-round, many preparing for those big Fiesta moments.

“Dance is the soul’s spirit to be oneself and express your inner feelings and happiness,” said Rose Marie Cruz, a longtime local dance instructor.  “A dancer or nondancer shares and expresses their inner soul of happiness and loyalty to their beautiful land of Santa Barbara.

“Fiesta is a most perfect place and time to enhance the world of dance.”

There are three main dance styles featured throughout Old Spanish Days Fiesta.

Early California

This is a style taking us back to the rancho days of the 1800s. Early California is a slower style, yet elegant and graceful.

A great example of early California dance is the iconic local scene of the big De la Guerra wedding, featured in Richard Henry Dana’s popular book, Two Years Before the Mast.

This image is also featured in one of the five second-floor historic Santa Barbara scene paintings in the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.

At this year’s La Primavera celebration at Casa De la Guerra, Old Spanish Days brought this iconic image to life, a true tableau vivant.

Folklórico

These regional dances are found throughout Mexico and other parts of Latin America.

From Mexico to Colombia, from Peru to El Salvador, Folklórico dance styles and costumes differ by country, state and region.

This type of dance is lively and upbeat. It is folk dance — a dance of the people. Though the dances differ from region to region, the basic steps and style of dance are similar and often involve percussive heel-stomping.

Flamenco

Now the national dance of Spain, Flamenco has its roots 500 years ago.

The dance style was brought to Spain by Los Gitanos, gypsies who were originally from India and had made their way across Europe and northern Africa.

Early on, the dance was frowned on by the Spanish elite. Over time, flamenco developed, and eventually it was embraced as Spain’s national dance — even by the Spanish elite.

There were two big additions added to flamenco following its creation by the gypsy community.

First, Spain’s Arab community, the Moors, introduced live musical instruments to flamenco.

Then, Spain’s Jewish community added vocals, with their songs reliving their battles and their hard times throughout La Reconquista, and later the Inquisition spearheaded by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand II as they brought Christianity back to Spain

Today flamenco, folklórico and other dance styles add excitement throughout Old Spanish Days Fiesta. Dance provides a cultural arts experience for our youth. Our community truly enjoys dance. And dance has helped make our annual community Fiesta what it is today.

2023 Junior Spirit Olivia Nelson

The Spirit of Fiesta and Junior Spirit exemplify the best of local dance — tradition, culture and youth.

2023 Junior Spirit Olivia Nelson has family ties to Hollywood. Her great, great uncle was Ozzie Nelson, of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet fame. This legendary television couple filled our TV screens in the 1950s and ’60s, along with their sons, David and Ricky.

Until 2021, the series was the longest running live-action sitcom in U.S. television history with 435 total episodes produced. Reruns continued for years.

Olivia’s great-grandfather, Alfred Nelson, was Ozzie’s older brother by two years. Olivia’s dad, Chris Nelson, was a second cousin of David and Ricky Nelson.

“Olivia is an entertainer at heart,” the elder Nelson said. “Olivia has always seemed to be a natural in her dance style and her way of entertaining.

“I feel like entertaining definitely has come down to her through her blood lines with both her grandmother, and great uncle and aunt and third cousins all coming from acting and entertainment backgrounds.”

Olivia, as Junior Spirit of Fiesta, will be entertaining our community throughout the many days of Old Spanish Days 2023.

Let’s Fiesta!

Next: The Food and Fashion of Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta