Lake Tahoe School celebrated Día de los Muertos on Monday, November 2 with colorful cultural displays and a school-wide performance in the back field. The weather was perfect and the fall colors added an extra special touch to the annual event. Papel picado banners lined the driveway of the school and greeted excited students as they entered the building. Passing the incredible community ofrenda in the entryway captured students’ attention and exemplified the spirit and purpose behind the Día de los Muertos Holiday. The week leading up to Día de los Muertos, families contributed photos and mementos to the ofrenda honoring loved ones. The result was a vibrant display that intertwined the lives and stories of special people who have passed away. A link to a short video tour of the school ofrenda is included below.

The school-wide performance began with the 3rd grade performing Jarabe Tapatio, also known as the Mexican Hat Dance. Students dressed in traditional Mexican attire which included flowing dresses for the girls and festive hats and sashes for the boys. Third graders learned the dance steps under the guidance of Andrea Tatengo who specializes in folkloric Mexican dance. Fifth grade then sang the well known song De Colores and Second Grade followed with Las Mañanitas which is the Mexican birthday song. Fourth grade got the audience moving to the song Muevete which was led by the fancy footwork of Coach Jon. Eighth grade sang the cover of Wrecking Ball in Spanish and Olive Hamner-Jillson accompanied the song with a beautiful ballet routine that she choreographed on her own. Lastly, Mr. Casey’s rock band class ended the show with a spirited version of La Bamba. As the show concluded classes continued to mingle on the grass field, enjoying a beautiful day of culture, music and community. Thanks for another great Día de los Muertos, LTS!