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| Painting of "The Alta California Orchestra" by William Gilkerson |
The Fandango evolved from Spain and later came simply to mean dance in general. The earlier Fandangos had a set order of dances with a Dancing Master or "Tecolero" leading off each dance. Fandangos became the informal dances of the Rancho era where lavish feasts were held, and foods like mussels, huckleberries, and mutton would have been served. The women, seated apart from the men, were introduced by the Tecolero while the men remained on horseback with their spurs hung across their saddle as an indication of their desire to dance. The Tecolero would often begin dancing with a lady, the other men then dismounting to cut in.
Mariano Vallejo described such events in vivid terms: "...The evenings were given over to pure merriment. Every hacienda had its stringed band of several pieces; the harp, guitar, and violin... and once in a while, a flute. And every night rain or shine... except in time of death or sorrow... there was a baile. In this every one had his part. The elder people stepped the stately contradanza. The budding generations enjoyed the waltz and the beautiful Spanish folk dances to the accompaniment of the castanets, and even the little ones had their own figures to romp through. In short, the occasion was one for all-around pleasure of the natural unconscious style, without restraint or starchiness, where not a few, but everyone enjoyed themselves. I am an old man now, but I was young once and remember that time very well indeed..."
