Four Santa Maria schools will bring the vibrant culture of Mexico to life Nov. 14-15.

The “Celebration of Mexican Culture” 2014 performance features dancers and musicians from Righetti, Santa Maria and Pioneer Valley high schools as well as Allan Hancock College. The 7 p.m. shows take place at SMHS’s Ethel Pope Auditorium, 901 S. Broadway.

The students will perform traditional and contemporary Mexican and Latino dance selections from the states of Baja California Norte, Chihuahua, Guerrero, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Yucatan and Jalisco. The Righetti Marimba Band will also join the dancers to delight the crowd.

SMJUHSD senior Susel Garcia knows the “Celebration” has become a tradition in town that many people wait for.

“It’s a live display of cultural Mexicana,” Garcia said. “Not only does it give joy to those in the audience, but it gives great joy to the performers because we get to see their faces light up and sense their inspiration.”

Senior Melissa Martinez said the experience has “allowed her to overcome shyness and become more confident” while senior Allan Dominguez added the team effort required “a lot of hard work learning the songs and dances.”

Tickets for the performances can be purchased at the student business offices of Pioneer, Righetti and Santa Maria high schools. All seats are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

— Kenny Klein is a media affairs coordinator for the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.