Here’s the story behind the ‘giant dance party’ at Fresno State’s viral Latino graduation

The U.S. Marine band from San Diego didn’t just show up unannounced at the Save Mart Center to participate in the country’s largest celebration of Latino graduates.

The result was a video that went massively viral – 5.3 million views on TikTok alone, with comedian George López among those reposting the video – of the band in dress blues playing Mexican standards “El Toro Mambo” and “Mil Horas,” with Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval dancing along with students and others.

What’s the story behind the story?

How did the Marine band get involved?

How much planning was involved?

“I knew the Marine band was going to play the National Anthem, but did not know they had planned to play such iconic songs that are the heart of Mexican and Latinx culture, until Dr. (Víctor) Torres told me a few minutes before they played that he had a ‘surprise’ for me,” said Jiménez-Sandoval.

Here is the lowdown, as explained by Torres, the director of the university’s Los Danzantes de Aztlán. He has been in charge of the Fresno State Chicano/Latino Commencement Graduation Celebration since 2016.

On March 13, university vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Kent L. Willis was leading a tour of the campus for Marine Major General William Bowers, commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, when Torres was introduced to Bowers.

Bowers, who was told that Torres was responsible for organizing the Latino graduation, volunteered to help the event.

“Hmmm,” thought Torres, who immediately asked for the Marines Color Guard.

“Make it happen,” Bowers told his assistant. “What else do you need?”

Torres: “I was thinking it was just a joke, so I said, ‘How about the Marine band?’”

Bowers, turning to his assistant: “Make it happen.”

Torres was wondering how he could incorporate the Marine band into the Latino celebration that featured the Fresno State mariachi and folkloric dancers.

Torres, figuring he would call Bowers’ bluff: “OK, but they can only come if they play Mexican music.”

Bowers: “Sir, we have the best band in the world. We can play any music.”

Thirty minutes later, Torres is getting emails from Marine colonels, majors and captains asking for dates, times and descriptions of the event.

Marines even volunteered to have a fly-by

“These guys don’t mess around,” Torres told The Fresno Bee. “They wanted to be part of other graduations on campus, but we’re the only ones who accepted.

“They even talked about a fly-by. That would’ve been awesome, but we’re indoors.”

The band was asked to play one song, but have a second one ready just in case.

The crowd pleaded “Otra, otra, otra” (“One more”), so the Marine band followed up with the iconic cumbia “Mil Hora” (One-thousand Hours).

“At that point, I could not help but dance to the perfectly played cumbia,” Jiménez-Sandoval told The Bee. “The San Diego Marine band lit up the place – having performed the National Anthem, they played ‘Toro Mambo,’ and then a song that everyone knows and enjoys, ‘Mil Horas.’

“It was a brilliant culminating moment when they went from the very serious and patriotic, to the festive songs,” said the president, who joined graduates on the arena floor for some dancing. “Their talent brought the students and audience to react so joyously.”

Social media response has been overwhelmingly positive

The 1-minute, 54-second video posted on TikTok by Dr. Saúl Salinas, a Clovis school administrator and volunteer with the ceremony, had more than 9,400 comments as of May 23.

Some of the comments included: “Alumni here. This makes me so proud. This didn’t happen during my Latino commencement ceremony, but I hope this becomes tradition moving forward,”

“This gave me chills I love seeing this so much!”

“GOOSEBUMPS! That USMC band is no joke!,”

“The band got every note!”

“La raza knows how to party.”

The video has been shared on other social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, X and Instagram.

Latinas in Sports shared the video on in its Instagram account “Look at all that educated CULTURA.”

Nationally, Univision interviewed Salinas, and Telemundo interviewed Jiménez-Sandoval.

Social media influencers joined the hype to share or comment on the largest commencement in the nation and how “lit” was the graduation.

“We made national news!!! Thanks to @sauulsalinas for this video!!” posted the Fresno State’s Chicano/Latino commencement celebration Instagram account on Wednesday.

Salinas told Univision that he recorded the video because it is rare to have a university president who is Mexican, speak his native language and even dance at a commencement ceremony.

Other news outlets like ABC reported on the “giant dance party” for their stations in the Bay Area, Central Valley as well as Southern California and Philadelphia.

How can the university top this celebration?

Jiménez-Sandoval and Torres have enjoyed the publicity generated from the video shared by Saúl Salinas, who has gone on national media.

“This is greatly positive for Fresno State – it conveys our dedication to graduating talented students who are proud of their heritage, and who will become strong leaders in our region, and beyond,” said Jiménez-Sandoval.

Torres, who is already thinking about next year’s celebration, said “it was a great way to connect the Marines to the Latino community, and make them more relatable to the Latino community by playing the Mexican music everyone understands.”

Torres said Fresno State has graduates, students and family members who are active or retired military members. “We’re paying respect to them, and thanking them for their service,” he said.

He points to social media comments as proof that the video has put Fresno State on the national map, and that the net for potential students has broadened.

“People are saying, ‘Man, I wish my school was like that’ or ‘I want to go to a school that has that kind of graduation ceremony,’” said Torres. “It’s a very positive recruitment tool.”

As to how he will top this year’s celebration, Torres will only say stay tuned.

“I wouldn’t tell you. That’s what the element of surprise is for; that’s what makes it exciting,” he said. “If I don’t have something like this next year, everyone is going to be so disappointed.”