IMPORTANT THIS YEAR. THIS IS ONE OF SEVERAL PLACES WHERE BAILA MI TIERRA WILL PERFORM THIS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. THEY’RE BOOKED ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND THROUGH NOVEMBER 1ST. IT COMES AS SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS HAVE HAD TO CANCEL OR MODIFY THEIR CELEBRATIONS THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF FEAR OF ICE RAIDS FOR BAILES DE TIERRA. THE SHOW WILL GO ON. PERFORMANCES WITH FESTIVE COSTUMES AND FOLK DANCE AND MUSIC. JOSE REYES KNOWS HIS DANCE GROUP BAILA ESTA TIERRA IS A CHANCE FOR EDUCATION AND CELEBRATION. MY MISSION IS TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE AND PRESENT MEXICAN AND LATIN AMERICAN TRADITIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. NOW, MORE THAN EVER, IT’S IMPORTANT FOR US THAT THIS MISSION CONTINUES SO PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE BEAUTY THAT LATINO CULTURE AND ALL IMMIGRANTS BRING TO THIS COUNTRY. WHAT SHOULD WE DO ON THE STEPS? REYES STARTED THE DANCE GROUP BACK IN 2008 AS A WAY TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH MEXICAN AND LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE AND MAKE HOME FEEL CLOSER FOR HISPANICS AND LATINOS WHO LIVE HERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I GET A KICK OUT OF WHEN WE PERFORM AT VENUES IS THAT WHEN I DO SEE HISPANIC FACES IN THE CROWD, THEY’RE BEAMING WITH PRIDE. THE BIG SMILES, THE APPLAUSE THAT THEY GET. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE APPROACH US AT THE END OF PERFORMANCES WHO MAY HAVE JUST COME HERE, OR THEY HAVEN’T SEEN THIS IN A LONG TIME. SO THEY’RE ALWAYS THANKING US FOR FOR STILL PRESENTING. MEXICAN DANCES. THEY’LL BE DANCING AT FIVE LOCAL LIBRARIES THROUGH NOVEMBER AND TWO FESTIVALS IN COLOMBIA IN OCTOBER. PERFORMANCES, REYES SAYS, ARE CRUCIAL AS MANY OF THIS YEAR’S HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATIONS ACROSS OUR AREA ARE CANCELED, SCALED DOWN OR MOVED BECAUSE OF FEAR OF ICE RAIDS. SO LUCKILY ENOUGH FOR US, IT HAS NOT IMPACTED US. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF SOME EVENT ORGANIZERS AND I RESPECT THAT. BUT REYES IS HAPPY TO STILL HAVE A CHANCE FOR HIS GROUP TO PERFORM WITH FESTIVE COSTUMES AND FOLK DANCE AND MUSIC. EDUCATING AND CELEBRATING. IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A PLATFORM, THAT WE HAVE THIS PLATFORM TO PRESENT OUR CULTURE, OUR TRADITIONS, THEIR PERFORMANCE HERE AT THE ZOO IS THIS SATURDAY AT NOON. FOR A FULL LIST OF ALL OF THEIR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH PERFORMANCES WITH DATES, LOCATIONS, TIMES, AND MORE, HEAD OVER TO OUR WBAL-TV APP OR WEBSITE. IN DRUID HILL PARK, I’M BRIAN
Bailes de Mi Tierra celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with several performances across region
Updated: 7:22 PM EDT Sep 18, 2025
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Bailes de Mi Tierra, a Baltimore dance group, is performing Mexican and Latin American traditions at various venues during Hispanic Heritage Month.It comes as several groups cancel, move and modify Hispanic Heritage Month events due to fears of ICE raids. The group, which includes dancers as young as 5 years old, is booked almost every weekend through Nov. 1.”Our mission is to preserve, promote and present Mexican and Latin American traditions throughout the community,” said Jose Reyes, founder and director of Bailes de Mi Tierra. “I think now more than ever, it’s important for us that this mission continues so people can actually see the beauty that Latino culture and all immigrants bring to this country.”Reyes started the dance group in 2008 to connect people with Mexican and Latin American culture and make home feel closer for Hispanic and Latino people living in the area.”One of the things that I get a kick out of when we perform at venues is that when I do see Hispanic faces in the crowd, they’re beaming with pride, the big smiles, applause that they give,” Reyes said. “We have people approach us at the end of performances who may have just come here, or they haven’t seen this in a long time, so they’re always thanking us for still presenting Mexican dances.”The group will perform at five local libraries through November: Cockeysville Library: Sept. 20 at 2 p.m.Arbutus Library: Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.Owings Mills Library: Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.Brooklyn Park Library: Oct. 25 at 11 a.m.Reisterstown Library: Nov. 1 at 3:15 p.m.The group will also perform at St. Matthew’s International Festival and Hispanic Heritage Festival in Columbia on Oct. 4 at 12:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m., and at the Maryland Zoo on Sept. 20 at noon.Reyes noted the significance of these performances, as many Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations have been canceled, scaled down or moved due to fears of ICE raids.”Luckily enough for us, it has not impacted us,” Reyes said. “But, I do understand the concerns of some of the event organizers, and I respect that.”Reyes is happy his group is still getting the chance to perform.”It makes it even more important that we have this platform to present our culture, our traditions,” Reyes said.
Bailes de Mi Tierra, a Baltimore dance group, is performing Mexican and Latin American traditions at various venues during Hispanic Heritage Month.
It comes as several groups cancel, move and modify Hispanic Heritage Month events due to fears of ICE raids. The group, which includes dancers as young as 5 years old, is booked almost every weekend through Nov. 1.
“Our mission is to preserve, promote and present Mexican and Latin American traditions throughout the community,” said Jose Reyes, founder and director of Bailes de Mi Tierra. “I think now more than ever, it’s important for us that this mission continues so people can actually see the beauty that Latino culture and all immigrants bring to this country.”
Reyes started the dance group in 2008 to connect people with Mexican and Latin American culture and make home feel closer for Hispanic and Latino people living in the area.
“One of the things that I get a kick out of when we perform at venues is that when I do see Hispanic faces in the crowd, they’re beaming with pride, the big smiles, applause that they give,” Reyes said. “We have people approach us at the end of performances who may have just come here, or they haven’t seen this in a long time, so they’re always thanking us for still presenting Mexican dances.”
The group will perform at five local libraries through November:
- Cockeysville Library: Sept. 20 at 2 p.m.
- Arbutus Library: Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
- Owings Mills Library: Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.
- Brooklyn Park Library: Oct. 25 at 11 a.m.
- Reisterstown Library: Nov. 1 at 3:15 p.m.
The group will also perform at St. Matthew’s International Festival and Hispanic Heritage Festival in Columbia on Oct. 4 at 12:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m., and at the Maryland Zoo on Sept. 20 at noon.
Reyes noted the significance of these performances, as many Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations have been canceled, scaled down or moved due to fears of ICE raids.
“Luckily enough for us, it has not impacted us,” Reyes said. “But, I do understand the concerns of some of the event organizers, and I respect that.”
Reyes is happy his group is still getting the chance to perform.
“It makes it even more important that we have this platform to present our culture, our traditions,” Reyes said.