The first Mariachi bands originated in the state of Jalisco. Mariachi music was considered folk music, and performers were either semi-professional or buskers, and mostly unheard of. This started to change in the 1930s, after a group called Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan were invited to play at the inauguration of president Lazaro Cardenas. The reason for their performance was to highlight Mexican culture, and their appearance caused a stir. The group hired a musical director who wrote standards for the traditional songs they were accustomed to play, and by the 1950s he insisted that all the musicians he work with be able to read music. Therefore Mariachi groups became professional musicians, and the custom of learning a song by ear and passing it down from group to group began to disappear.
Before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, Mexican music consisted of drums, rattles and horns. The Europeans introduced other instruments such as violins, guitars and brass instruments. The native Mexicans soon learned to play on these instruments and incorporated them into their music. Throughout the Spanish colonization of Mexico, a typical Spanish orchestra would include guitars, violins and a harp. Mariachi bands derive from this musical formation.
During the 1950s, Mariachis began to make recordings, and further instruments such as classical guitars, trumpets and more strings were added. The addition of these instruments plus a "vihuela," or high-pitched five-string guitar, and a small bass guitar make up the traditional Mariachi group today.
There are many different dances to go with Mariachi, the most famous being the Mexican Hat Dance, or Jarabe Tapatio, which is also Mexico's national dance. It is a highly choreographed dance, and male performers wear the Jalisco horsemen outfit, while women wear bright silk skirts and shawls. In another type of dance, the zapateado, great emphasis is placed on footwork, which is energetic and fast. The word zapateado, which originates in Spain, means "footwork." Both male and female performers of this dance dig the heels of their shoes deep into the ground; it is not unusual for the dance floor to be covered in dents at the end of the night. Another dance, the huapango, has lines of couples facing each other. They shuffle their feet but must not move their torsos, and some even place a glass on their head to demonstrate their ability.
Mariachi music is played at special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, baptisms and less cheery events such as funerals, too. Certain types of Mariachi song are also considered courtship songs. Mariachi music has always been dance music. While the lyrics are often sentimental, the rhythms and drum beats are very lively and upbeat.