Old Spanish Days Names Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta 2020
Alena Velasco and Alexandra Nocker Will Perform Their First Dance on June 18
The coronavirus has already changed a lot about this year’s Fiesta. Most of its signature events, for instance, won’t have live audiences and will instead be broadcast on TV or online. But one thing the pandemic couldn’t quash is the anticipation and excitement for two young women ― Alena Velasco and Alexandra Nocker ― chosen as the Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta 2020.
“I am very proud of Alena and Alexandra and look forward to seeing them bring a lot of joy to our community over the next couple of months,” said El Presidente Erik Davis. “Their resilience and perseverance in the face of the challenges of this year is a true representation of the “Spirit of Fiesta.” The pair will perform their first dance at 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 18 on KEYT Channel 3.
Get the top stories in your inbox by signing up for our daily newsletter, Indy Today.
Spirit of Fiesta Alena Velasco, 18, graduated from Lompoc High School in June. She was recently recognized for academic excellence for maintaining a 4.0 GPA for every semester of her high school career. Alena loves dancing, choreography, singing, and volunteering at local elementary schools and nursing homes. She trains at the Garcia Dance Studio.
Junior Spirit of Fiesta Alexandra Nocker, 10, will be going into Fifth Grade at Vieja Valley Elementary School. Alexandra’s favorite subjects in school are math and social studies. Along with dancing flamenco, Alexandra enjoys surfing, playing the violin, and acting. She has received school awards for academics and citizenship and she also fundraises for Girls’ Inc. She attended her first fiesta when she was just six months old. She trains at the Zermeño Dance Academy.
The theme of this year’s Fiesta is “¡Vamos a Bailar!”, in English, “Let’s Dance!”
Correction: Spirit of Fiesta Alena Velasco’s name is spelled as here, not Velaso.
At the Santa Barbara Independent, our staff is working around the clock to cover every aspect of this crisis — sorting truth from rumor. Our reporters and editors are asking the tough questions of our public health officials and spreading the word about how we can all help one another. The community needs us — now more than ever — and we need you in order to keep doing the important work we do. Support the Independent by making a direct contribution or with a subscription to Indy+.
