Archiving Mexican folklórico costumes: applying a participatory approach and a post-custodial strategy

Mexican folklórico dance (also known as Mexican folkloric ballet) is a dance form and tradition that is rooted in the cultural diversity of Mexico and has a prominent presence in the USA. The dances, music, and costumes are all embedded with the historical and socio-cultural traditions of the communities from where they originate and are therefore crucial aspects of Mexican folklórico that should be included in the archives. Current holdings in Arizona include records on Mexican folklórico dance, but these are limited to audio recordings, visual materials, and written materials, nothing on costumes. As such, this paper argues for their inclusion in the archives by applying a participatory approach and a post-custodial strategy, which will accomplish the following: (1) By involving the community in the archiving process, more accurate records of the costumes can be created; and (2) By utilizing a post-custodial strategy, the archives collaborates with the records creators/owners (e.g., costume designers, dancers, or directors) so that the records are still able to be processed, with the original record returning to the creator/owner, while a copy remains in the archives so that others can access it. This process will ensure that the costumes are not de-contextualized by being completely removed from their communities and that they remain with those individuals who have years of experience taking care of them and know how to keep them in presentable conditions.