Talleres de Son Jarocho

Talleres de Son Jarocho run from Thursday, October 15, through Sunday, October 18, at the McNutt Co-Lab in the Negley Building, 300 Augusta Street. It's a four-day dive into Son Jarocho, the musical tradition from Veracruz, Mexico, and the sessions are open to all levels, so you don't need to be a musician to jump in.

Over the course of the workshops, you'll get hands-on experience with three different parts of the tradition. You'll learn to play the jarana, a small guitar-like instrument that provides the rhythmic backbone of the music. You'll also learn to write and sing versada, the improvised singing style that gives the music its voice, and practice zapateado, the rhythmic footwork that turns the dance floor into another instrument. It's a full-circle look at how the music, the singing, and the dancing all lock together.

The schedule is split across two different time slots. Thursday and Friday run in the evenings from 6 PM to 9 PM, and Saturday and Sunday move to the mornings, from 11 AM to 2 PM. Because it's a workshop and not a single performance, you'll be doing the work yourself rather than just watching from a seat. All the materials you need are provided, so you don't have to bring your own instrument.

Registration is required in advance, and the sessions are open to anyone 18 and older. The workshops are free, and you'll find them at the McNutt Co-Lab in the Negley Building, 300 Augusta Street, in downtown San Antonio.