Dancers At the Crossroads

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – For New Mexico filmmaker Andrés Salazar, dance is more than an art form. It is a way of preserving history, connecting communities and celebrating cultural identity.

Salazar’s 25-minute documentary, “Dancers at the Crossroads,” explores four dance traditions prominent in New Mexico: Indigenous hoop dancing, flamenco, folklórico and breaking. Through interviews and performances filmed across the state, the documentary examines how these traditions have endured through generations while fostering resilience and community healing.

Salazar, a University of New Mexico (UNM) cinematic arts graduate originally from Cañones in northern New Mexico, has long held a passion for both filmmaking and dance. He grew up practicing folklórico and later studied flamenco at UNM.

The idea for the documentary began taking shape during Salazar’s college years, when he envisioned bringing different New Mexican dance traditions together. “At the time, I had these visions of bringing New Mexico dance and Hispano and Chicano art forms into kind of the same space,” says Salazar.

That vision eventually became a five-year filmmaking project involving 10 interviews, approximately 20 hours of footage, original music and choreographed performances.

Salazar explains that the lengthy production process reflected the collaborative nature of the documentary, with filming often taking place around participants’ work schedules and requiring travel to remote locations.

The film also takes dancers beyond traditional performance spaces, placing them against New Mexico’s natural landscapes, including cliffs, the Rio Grande and the bosque. Through the filmmaking process, Salazar discovered an unexpected connection between the different dance traditions: the importance of gathering in circles.

From folklórico performances in public plazas to Indigenous dances and flamenco gatherings, he found that circular arrangements often bring communities together around performers. “That became kind of the crux of the piece is the fact that these are circular in nature, it really brings that healing and community aspect to the dance forms,” says Salazar.

Beyond their artistic similarities, the documentary explores how dance has helped communities preserve traditions and cultural knowledge despite centuries of colonization. “When you pass down a tradition, you’re passing down your knowledge and your history,” says Salazar.

The documentary was selected for the 2026 Santa Fe International Film Festival, where it screened as part of the New Mexico Shorts program in October.

For Salazar, the recognition provided an opportunity to connect with other filmmakers while bringing attention to stories rooted in New Mexico. He hopes the documentary will reach audiences beyond the state and encourage greater appreciation for local artists.

“We need to show up for one another and help each other achieve our dreams as New Mexican artists and as New Mexican filmmakers and New Mexican dancers,” says Salazar.

“Dancers at the Crossroads” will screen Thursday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. at the Guild Cinema (3405 Central Ave. NE), alongside Kyle Maie’s short documentary “Canyon Road History.” The free event will include a question-and-answer session and a live performance by Spanish Broom Flamenco. Donations are appreciated.