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With colorful twirling skirts and sugar skull makeup, ballet folklorico dancers had a special audience on Saturday evening. In front of a crowd of onlookers was an altar filled with pictures of loved ones whoòòò½ÊÓƵ™d died in celebration of Dia de Muertos, a holiday that reunites the living and the dead.

Casa de Luna and the University of Houston-Victoria hosted a Dia de Muertos celebration on Saturday evening, complete with a mariachi band and ballet folklorico dancers from Our Lady of Sorrows and Victoria West and East High Schools.

After performing, ballet folklorico dancers Miranda Perez and Violeta Velazquez approached the altar their group had set up and picked up the photo of their grandfather. This was just one of the many altars, piled high with picture frames and snacks, decorated in observance of Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead.

òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s important to make sure traditions like this are passed down from generation to generation,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Chris Melendez said, owner of Casa De Luna and one of the event organizers.

While Casa de Luna has put on a community celebration for Dia de Muertos for years, this was the first time they teamed up with the university to make this an even bigger event.

òòò½ÊÓƵœWhat place would be better than this, right in the middle of all these students?òòò½ÊÓƵ� Melendez said.

She stressed the importance of Victoria needing more events like this. To Melendez, the more the community gets together for an event like this, the more an event will grow.

òòò½ÊÓƵœEveryone can celebrate this holiday. Thereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s no right or wrong way to celebrate your loved one,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Melendez said.

Melendez established a community altar at their Day of the Dead events as a way to include the entire community by giving them a space to place a photo, leave a favorite snack or a candle.

While inviting the community to learn and participate in Day of the Dead, Saturdayòòò½ÊÓƵ™s event was also about creating space for the Latino community in Victoria.

òòò½ÊÓƵœEvents like this create a space for us to show our heritage and traditions,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Melendez said.

Melendezòòò½ÊÓƵ™s own business, Casa de Luna, focuses on celebrating her Latino heritage and culture. While Melendez and her store are taking a break and temporarily closing their store, they arenòòò½ÊÓƵ™t disappearing from the community that has supported them.

òòò½ÊÓƵœRight now Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m focusing on my children and working through a life adjustment. Weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re revamping and regrouping so that the store can go back to focusing on artisans,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Melendez said.

Melendez hopes to have her store reopened before CumbiaFest in April.

òòò½ÊÓƵœThe community has been great and has had our back since day 1, especially with events like this,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Melendez said.