Get to Know the 2017 Spirits of Fiesta

Every year, two young dancers are chosen as the Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta, and this year, it’s a graceful, strong, leaderly spirit that 2017 Spirit of Fiesta Norma Escárcega and Junior Spirit Eve Flores carry with them to the stage.

It’s been a year of milestones for Escárcega. Besides the Spirit coronation, she graduated from San Marcos High School as their senior class vice president with AP and honors classes under her belt. The Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center volunteer and future probation officer hopeful has danced flamenco for 15 years. “It is definitely an honor,” Escárcega said of the Spirit title. She hopes she can be a role model to other dancers, showing they “can be true to who they are, no matter the style of dance or personality. When you dance with passion and love, you can accomplish anything.”

For Flores, the Junior Spirit life has been very exciting. “I’m super excited to go place to place, to take it all in and learn what I can accomplish at Fiesta,” said the ambitious 5th grader, an environmentally conscious Hope School student who enjoys spelling bees and math competitions. “I know there’s so much in store for me.” She spent her first three years of school in Mexico, where she learned ballet, hip-hop, jazz, and more, but found the perfect fit in flamenco when she moved here in 3rd grade. Flores says she loves dancing because “I can express myself without using words and share my personality onstage,” and hopes she can inspire young dancers like herself. “If you try your hardest,” she said, “you can get it, no matter what.”