Sophia Cordero named Spirit of Fiesta (Photos: Fritz Olenberger, courtesy of Old Spanish Days)
By edhat staff
The Spirit and Jr. Spirit of Fiesta have been selected following the annual dance competition held this past Saturday.
A Santa Barbara tradition continued as Old Spanish Days announced the two dancers who will lead its performances this year for 70th annual Santa Barbara Fiesta celebrations.
Before a sold-out crowd at La Cumbre Jr. High School, 16-year-old Santa Barbara High School student Sophia Cordero was crowned the 2019 Spirit by a panel of judges.
Paloma Valenzuela, 10-years-old and a student from Foothill Elementary, was named the Jr. Spirit of Fiesta. Both dancers are from the Zermeno Dance Academy.
The 2019 Spirit Runner-up is Sofia Chicote, an 18-year-old Santa Barbara High School student. The Jr. Spirit Runner-up is Lane Tatum Danhauer, a 10-year-old student from St. Raphaels Catholic School.
Traditionally, the Spirit leads El Desfile Histórico while the Junior Spirit leads the Children’s Parade. Together they will perform at dozens of events from now until Fiesta this summer.
Old Spanish Days officially kicks off on July 31 and runs through August 4.
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Congratulations to these two young dancers. The cost to parents for dance lessons and costumes is astronomical. When my cousin and I danced with Jose Manero my aunt made our costumes. Jose and his dance partner Paquita del Rey even made costumes for themselves and other dancers.