Sophia Cordero reacts with joy and disbelief after being named the 2019 Old Spanish Days Spirit of Fiesta at auditions Saturday at La Cumbre Junior High School. “I still think I’m dreaming right now — I can’t believe it,” she says. 
Sophia Cordero after being named the 2019 Old Spanish Days Spirit of Fiesta at auditions Saturday at La Cumbre Junior High School. 
2019 Junior Spirit Paloma Valenzuela, left, and 2019 Spirit of Fiesta Sophia Cordero. 
Paloma Valenzuela hugs 2018 Spirit of Fiesta Jesalyn Contreras-McCollum after being named the 2019 Old Spanish Days Junior Spirit. 
Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days on Saturday afternoon selected the two dancers who will lead this year’s Fiesta performances, parades and celebrations.
More than 20 young dancers gave it everything they had on the auditorium stage of La Cumbre Junior High School.
A panel of judges crowned 16-year-old Sophia Cordero as the 2019 Spirit of Fiesta and 10-year-old Paloma Valenzuela as the Junior Spirit.
The talent was matched by pulsing music.
More than 600 cheering supporters filled the auditorium, with family and friends taking photos and videos of the energetic dancers in colorful garb.
Cordero, a Santa Barbara High School student, was chosen from a group of 11 Spirit contestants at the audition.
“I still think I’m dreaming right now — I can’t believe it,” she told Noozhawk after 2019 Fiesta La Presidenta Barbara Carroll made the announcement.
“I’m excited to do what I love — dance around the community, and share with everyone what I love to do. And spending the year with Barbara (Carroll) and Paloma (Valenzuela) is going to be fun.”
Valenzuela, a student at Foothill School in Goleta, was selected from a group of 10 Junior Spirit participants.
“I’m most excited about talking with everybody new, and being confident on stage,” she said. “Everybody was supporting me today, and I was excited.”
Both girls represent Zermeno Dance Academy in Old Town Goleta.
The pair follows 2018 Fiesta Spirit Jesalyn Contreras-McCollum and Junior Spirit Georgey Taupin.
This year is the 70th anniversary of the Spirit of Fiesta, Carroll said.
“It was electric, emotionally charged and also joyful,” she said of the auditions.
A reception took place afterward at the Santa Barbara Carriage and Western Art Museum.
The Spirit of Fiesta and Junior Spirit represent the charm, grace and beauty of Old Spanish Days Fiesta. Both girls attend numerous public appearances throughout Fiesta, which runs July 31-Aug. 4, as well as during the pre-Fiesta festivities.
The Spirit of Fiesta leads El Desfile Histórico (Historical Parade) and the Junior Spirit leads El Desfile De Los Niños (Children’s Parade) along State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.
Other Spirit participants at the audition were:
» Sofia Chicote
» Kailani Cordero
» Brianna Fisher
» Mia Lomeli
» Tara Mata
» Tylo Medrano
» Chloe Mendoza
» Alexis Olivares
» Miguel Sanchez
» Annissa Ward
Other Junior Spirit contestants were:
» Lane Tatum Danhauer
» Cameron DePaco
» Saydee Fernandez
» Emilio Gonzales
» Jade Gudino
» Zara Long
» Alina Pearce Seidel
» Natalia Trevino
» Selena Valencia
Click here for a complete Fiesta schedule for the 95th Old Spanish Days.
Old Spanish Days is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to honoring and preserving Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage and traditions.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
