Nearly 900 people
twirled and stamped their feet to mariachi music in the Mexican city of
Guadalajara to set a Guinness record for the world's biggest folk dance.
Searing heat failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the 882 men and women, who
turned up Saturday in traditional costumes featuring vivid embroidery and
bright colors to break the previous record, also set in Guadalajara in 2011
with 457 participants. "This new record shows that our traditions are
continuing to spread among young people," Xavier Orendain, president of
the Chamber of Commerce of Guadalajara and the event's organizer, told
reporters.

Dancers were
required to perform a choreographed routine for at least five minutes without
interruption in order to qualify for the record, said Guinness judge Carlos
Tapia. Their outfits were also rated, he added, with male dancers wearing
traditional "charro" suits featuring hats and neckties, while the
women wore vibrant dresses, bold jewelry and ribbons in their hair.

The dancers, who
mostly belonged to folk ballet schools, moved to a mix of mariachi standards,
dazzling audiences. "It is impressive to see so much coordination and such
a full expression of Mexican culture, it is the best," spectator Karla
Gallardo, 24, told AFP. "Yes, we can!" participants screamed with joy
when the Guinness record was announced.-AFP