Course Descriptions & Instructor Biographies

Rudy Figueroa: Folklorico Fun®
Movement, rhythm, music & games. Must have parent participation. Students are asked to bring a pillow and blanket for "pollito" nap-time. Only student needs to register and one parent/guardian is admitted to class. However, we recommend parents purchase the chaperone package if you wish to attend the concerts.

Rudy Figueroa was born and raised in Tulare , CA and has been dancing various regional Mexican styles since 1971. He has taught at the University of California at San Diego as well as summer programs in Guadalajara. He has been a member of Los Cenzontles since 2004.

 

 

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Ana Bustos-Ponce: Abanico Folklorico I
This class is for Green and Yellow level children ages 7-10 and will include repertoire from Sinaloa, Veracruz & Jalisco.

Ana Bustos-Ponce was born in Mexico, City in 1972. Presently, Ana lives in Fresno, California with her husband Raul and three beautiful children, Emmanuel, Israel, and Christina Ponce. A native from Mexico City, Ana's parents and six siblings migrated to Fresno, CA in 1979 when she was 7 years old. As a young child, she overcame the obstacles of learning English as a second language as she graduated in 1990 from FUSD Roosevelt High School. In 1996 she obtained a B.A. degree in Education with an emphasis in Bilingual Cross Cultural Language Academic Development through California State University, Fresno and ever since has taught grades K-12. Ana has served in Fresno Unified's Technology Trainer of Trainers Program, Aiming High, Autism Task Force, and Community Advisory Committees. She is a founding member of St. John's Spanish Recollection Youth Group, Grupo Folklorico TEOCALLI, and Families for Effective Autism Treatment-FMC. Recently, she helped review, edit, and translate in Spanish a chapter of 2006 Autism Society of America nationally award winning education book "Autism Spectrum Disorders from A-Z" written by Barbara and Emily Doyle found nationwide in many public libraries throughout the United States. Ana is the current president of the Autism Society of America - Central California Chapter. In May 2008, Ana was also awarded 2008 Mexican American Teacher of the Year through the Association of Mexican American Educators. Presently Ana teaches third grade at Balderas Elementary in Fresno Unified. Ana is also pursuing her Master's Degree in Educational Leadership.

ANA BUSTOS-PONCE - DANCE HISTORY
In 1986, Ana followed her older brothers Julio, Jose, Hubert, Carlos and her sisters Elsa and Lupita's footsteps of joining the folklorico dance classes at Sequoia and Roosevelt High schools. Her parents Bertha and Celso proudly supported and watched the whole "familia" dance show after show and year after year. Since then, Ana has acquired over 22 years of folklorico dance experience. During these last 22 years, Ana has developed education and dance leadership skills as she embraces diversity, family roots, culture, language, and children's background through educational, community volunteer work, and love of our Mexican culture.

In 1991 Ana was a children's Folkloric dance instructor for four years at Calwa Recreation Park in Fresno, CA. In 1991-1993 Ana danced through community adult dance group El Sol Company. Then in 1995-1999 Ana joined professional adult Grupo Folklorico TEOCALLI as a founding dance member. As a result of her experiences with folklorico dancing, in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008 Ana has continuously been invited as an instructor in the California statewide 1,000 participant Danzantes Unidos annual conference. In the summer of August 2006 Ana joined Escuela TEOCALLI as one of three professional children's dance instructors teaching TEOCALLI's Mexican Culture Class. Ana has the pleasure of choreographing Escuela TEOCALLI's performance at the annual Fresno Christmas Parade which was awarded 1st place in 2006 and 3rd place in 2008 under International Cultures - City of Fresno.

As Ana proudly promotes the Mexican culture through its music and dance and educational activities at Escuela TEOCALLI, her joy and pride includes watching her own children dance as they too embrace family roots, diversity, language and love of our Mexican culture.

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Maria Cerda: Abanico Folklorico II
This class is for Green and Yellow level children ages 9-12 and will include: Nayarit - El Buey, Chiapas – El Torito, Chihuahua - Gallinita

Born and raised in Kettleman City, California, Mrs. Cerda has over ten years experience in folklorico. It all began when she joined her first folklorico group, Anahuac at Fresno City Community College. Shortly thereafter she joined Teocalli, a Fresno base adult folklorico group. As her potential and experience grew, she became Teocalli's assistant director. She has also assisted for Aguilas de Oro at Clovis West High School, which lead her to start her own group at Kastner Intermediate. Currently her involvement with the Kings Cultural Center in Kings County has lead to a first ever Teocalli Chapter in that area.

With Teocalli she has participate in several events locally and nationally: Fiesta en la Mision, Baja California; Festival de Bailes Tradicionales de Mexico, San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, MX; International Dance Festival, Las Vegas, NV; Folkclovisco, Calidanza, Ethnic Dance Festival, and of course Danzantes Unidos Festival.

Her involvement with the Danzantes Unidos Festival is not new, with Teocalli the festival has been hosted in Fresno, CA five times. She's involved annually by taking or teaching a workshop at Danzantes Unidos.

Mrs. Cerda resides in Clovis, CA with her wonderful husband who is also very involved with Danzantes Unidos Festival.

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Sergio Sartiaguín: Abanico Folklorico IV
This class is for Blue level youth ages 11-14 and will include a sampling of repertoire from the four corners of Mexico.

El Profesor Sartiaguín nativo de San Blas Nayarit, ha sido un incansable estudioso de las tradiciones de Nayarit especializándose en todo lo relacionado con la danza folklórica y la música tradicional, además de tener una extraordinaria carrera como administrador público en la cultura por 25 años y a desarrollado infinidad de proyectos culturales de rescate de diversos temas.

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Marco Antonio Sanchez: Puebla
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 14-40 and will feature Sones y Jarabes Poblanos & Danza de Moros y Cristianos de San Pedro.
Participants are asked to bring a machete, practice skirt & rebozo.

Marco Antonio Sanchez began his training at the age of four in his hometown of Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico. At age six, he was recruited by award winning dance group "Grupo Folclorico Magisterial del Estado de Jalisco" children's performing company. In 1989, he joined "Grupo Folclorico Alma de Nuestro Pueblo" and also "Ballet Folclorico de Jalisco" before returning to Grupo Magisterial where he also participated as instructor's assistant under the direction of Jose Luis Cardenas Quirarte, founder of the "Instituto de Investigacion de la Danza Mexicana". In 1993 he relocated to Sacramento, Ca where he was invited to instruct different area groups before founding his own company "Rincones de mi Tierra". As a member of "Instituto de Investigacion y Difucion de la Danza Mexicana" and in order to expand his own knowledge, Marco Sanchez travels year round to Mexico to participate in workshops, perform and conduct field research. He has conducted research in states such as Michoacán, Jalisco, Sonora, Baja California, Durango, Nuevo Leon, Hidalgo and Puebla where he has learned to respect the dance tradition of "bailadores" and also the great effort done by leading folk and dance and music researchers. In 2008 Marco was invited to participate as producer and guest choreographer for "Cuextecapan: Sies Estados Una Region" in Guadalajara, Mexico. His respect for "la danza tradicional" has earn him the opportunity to work as guest instructor with groups from California, Guadalajara and the Encuentro Nacional de Danza "Tepeeg Notu" in Baja California. Marco Sánchez currently serves as General Director and Choreographer for Grupo de Danza Rincones de mi Tierra and active member Instituto de Investigacion y Difusion de la Danza Mexicana.

DUF 2010 Repertoire:

Danza de Moras

Bailete Cruzado

Batalla Principar

Paso Doble

Sones y Jarabes

El Pulque

San Miguelito

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Juan Santana: Colima
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 14-40 and will include El Pedregal, El Pitayero & Las Comaltecas.

Juan Santana received his folklorico dance training in his home state of Nayarit, Mexico. He studied dance as a member of INBA in Tepic, Nayarit as well as, as a member of the Ballet Folklorico de la Universidad de Nayarit under professor Jaime Buentello Bazan. He has served as Artistic Director for Grupo Folklorico "Hermandad Mexicana" in Santa Ana & BF de Riverside in California and as workshop instructor in the Orange County High School of the Arts. This will be his first year teaching at the Danzantes Unidos Festival and DUF 2010 gives him a hearty welcome.

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Carlos Santoyo: Sinaloa
El Sinaloense, La Chiclanera, El Coyote, La India Bonita, El Parraleno.

Teaching Mexican folkloric dance has been Carlos Santoyo's life work with the Sweetwater District. Carlos has worked for the District since 1973 to the present time as Cultural Awareness Facilitator/Dance Instructor. His background in folk dance is extensive: Academia de la Danza, Mexicana, Tepic Nayarit, Mexico (1971-1977); Teaching Credential, Facilitator of Mexican Dance; Department of Education and Culture of the State of Nayarit, Mexico; Institucion Nacional de las Bellas Artes, Tepic Nayarit, Mexico (1972-1977); Advanced courses in folkloric dance and history; California Community Colleges, San Diego, CA (1976-1978); Lifetime Community Limited Service Credential in Dance. Apart from teaching and directing Folklorico dance groups for the school district he founded and was the Artistic Director/Choreographer of two very successful semiprofessional Mexican dance companies. Grupo Folklorico Nayar, Inc. (1973-1988) and Grupo Folklorico de Escondido, (1982-1992). He is affiliated with two Folklorico associations which help him sustain his cognitive dance knowledge, technique and nimbleness: Association National de Grupos Folkloricos, national level, (1978 to present) and Danzantes Unidos, state level, (1973 to present). If he were to sum up his teaching experience in a few words, he would say that his students have been his best teachers.

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Rafael Valpuesta: Campeche
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancersages 14-40 and will include and will include asuite of dances from the state of Campeche.

Rafael Valpuesta began his dance training at the age of seven under the direction of Alberto Muriel. It was during those early years in his life where he learned the folk dances of Mexico with great professionalism far beyond his young age. At the age of 17, Mr. Valpuesta began to teach his fellow classmates, but soon after, he was given the opportunity to direct his Alma Mater's Mexican folk troop at Roosevelt High School in the city of Los Angeles. This was the beginning of his professional dance career. Many bigger challenges came after that where he was able to form part of some of the most important dance organizations in Los Angeles like: Pacifico Dance Company, and Grandeza Mexicana, to name a few.

Mr. Valpuesta has traveled all over the United States and Europe, promoting Mexican culture through dance. He has also worked with great Dance Masters in many different dance disciplines like: Viviana Basanta of the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez, Davincci Burkes, former Alvin Ailey soloist, and the art of Flamenco under the direction of Juana Amaya in Seville, Spain. To that end, Mr. Valpuesta has directed several local dance companies and has conducted many workshops throughout the country. His extensive dance training has allowed him to fuse universal ballet with traditional dance to create a stylized and theatrical interpretation of Mexican folk dance.

Mr. Valpuesta currently directs Ballet Folklorico Resurreccion and plans to continue teaching the children and youth of his community about the beautiful dances of Mexico.

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Cecilio DeCastro: Jalisco
This class is for Green level dancers ages 14-40 and will include and will include El Tirador, El Gusto & El Angel.

Cecilio DeCastro started dancing at the age of fifteen in Southern California under the direction of Nellie Slivkoff of Ballet Folklorico Las Florecitas del Campo, which later went on to become Ballet Folklorico Azteca. His first teacher was Sal Magallanes from the Ballet Folklorico Mexicapan. At the age of seventeen, he auditioned for Mexicapan under the direction of Benjamin Hernandez. He stayed with the company for three years. During the first two years of dancing he was taught by Lupe Aldaz and Oscar Castro, also members of Mexicapan. Other members of Mexicapan also instructed him during this two-year period. After joining BFM, Cecilio began to teach at different cities and different groups, he continued to learn more about folklorico and its history. He traveled to various cities in Mexico to continue his studies in folk dancing and folk music. Along the way he made new friends who taught him a lot about dancing, music and the ways of presenting folklorico on stage. Mr. DeCastro has been teaching since the age of seventeen, he, has taught at UCSB, UCLA, Rio Hondo College, Roosevelt HS in Los Angeles, Mountain View HS, El Monte HS and many other high schools throughout the state of California.
Cecilio's performance collaborations include: Banda el Recodo, Mariachi Vargas, Rosenda Bernal, Beatriz Adriana, The USA Olympic Committee, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farms, Cecilio has been a guest instructor for numerous groups throughout the state, including: Paso de Oro Dance company, Sabor de Mexico, Nube de Oro, Raises de Mi Tierra, Alma Latina de Long Beach. Cecilio DeCastro has been a faculty member of the Danzantes Unidos Festival since 1999 and currently represents Los Angeles on the DUC Board of Directors.

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Janet Johns: Huasteca Veracruzana
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 14-40 and will include Danza de Los Viejos & a huapango tba.

Janet Rachel Johns – I have been the Artistic Director of Esperanza del Valle (EDV), Mexican Folkloric Dance Company, based in Watsonville, California, since its inception in 1980 and have served as choreographer, instructor and one of its dancing members since its inception. As director, I am committed to working with the master teachers in Mexican dance and have invited them to come to Watsonville to work firsthand with our company members to maintain authenticity in our dance style, choreography and attire. I have been truly blessed having had the opportunity to work with and train with many of Mexico's "treasures", such as Mario Cabrera Salgado, Gabriel Mendoza Torres, Cándido Hernández, José Tena, Rafael Zamarripa, Los Cojolites and my first and most influential teacher, Ramón Morones Ortíz, of Guadalajara, Jalisco. In the fall of 1980, I had the opportunity to go with my former instructor, Rudy Figueroa to perform in Taiwan and Japan in a Sister Cities Exchange Program with the City of San José. It was quite an honor to be invited to go as a performer of Mexican Folkloric Dance. A turning point in my career as the Artistic Director of EDV and for our whole company in general was realized through our travels to the Huasteca region of Veracruz to experience the traditions and the indigenous and mestizo dances firsthand and to bring these danzas back to our community. Maestro Gabriel and Maestro Cándido have directed our research and have served as our guides for over a decade that Ruby Ann Vasquez, our sons and I have traveled each year to the comunidades indígenas of the Huasteca.

Besides my work with EDV, I also teach two folklorico dance classes at our local community college and university. Since 1987 I have served as El Teatro Campesino's choreographer for their Christmas plays, La Pastorela and La Virgen del Tepeyac and EDV dancers have performed as dancers in their annual winter shows.

I look forward to working with you and teaching some of the indigenous and mestizo dance traditions of the magical region of la Huasteca.

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Patricio Hidalgo: Veracruz Sotavento
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 14-40 and will feature tecnica de zapateado in the improvisational style most commonly seen at a "fandango". Repertoire will include a son de monton, son de pareja and a specialty dance. Son Jarocho is a musical tradition from the South of Veracruz, Mexico, that encompasses poetic lyricism, improvisation and dance. It was formed in the melding of Arab-Spanish, African and indigenous Mexican cultures. Son Jarocho is played at fandangos, important community celebrations where people come together to prepare food, dance, sing and play music, often all night long.

The word Zapateado describes the percussive footwork central to the fandango and the music of Son Jarocho. Zapateado is performed on a tarima, a wooden dance platform that is itself considered one of the principal instruments of the fandango. In this class, you will learn basic steps that define each of the sones that are played in the fandango. You will learn repiqueteos (hard percussive footwork), cepillados (soft brush steps and patterns) and mudanzas (rest steps) for each son. Finally, you will learn to improvise steps and step patterns.

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Jose Tena: Nuevo Leon
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 14-40 and will include La Bola (polka), El Cerro de La Silla (schotis), La Grulla (polka) & Pavido Navido (huapango)

Internationally acclaimed folklórico dancer and instructor José Tena, from Las Cruces, New Mexico has been dancing for more than four decades on his forever young legs and has set thousands more in motion with his dance troupe of 30 years, the Ballet Folklórico Tierra del Encanto. He has been the recipient of several coveted honors and supporting grants for his outstanding contribution to the arts and has been the subject of a bilingual children's book, "The Man Who Set the Town Dancing" by Candice Stanford. Jose Tena not only set his town dancing, but has also traveled from coast-to-coast, from Washington DC and Boston, MA, to Fresno and Sacramento, CA, giving folklorico workshops. He is the driving force behind the folklorico workshops at the annual Las Cruces International Mariachi Festival and has served on the board of directors and as a conference director for the Asociacion Nacional de Grupos Folkloricos.

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Zenon Barron: Guanajuato
This class is for Blue level dancers ages 14-40 and will feature dances from the state of Guanajuato.

Zenón Barrón is a professional dancer trained in modern dance and classical ballet, as well as Mexican folk dance. He is a researcher of Mexican and Latin American folklore, costume designer, and the founder and Artistic Director of Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco.

Es director y coreógrafo egresado del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes de la ciudad de México. En la actualidad es el director artístico de "Ensambles Ballet Folklórico de San Francisco". Sus raíces indígenas (por parte de padre) lo vincularon con los orígenes de la cultura de su país. A los cuatro años inició su carrera como bailarín en el grupo "Matlachines", para luego acercarse a la danza clásica y a las danzas folklóricas mexicanas. Zenón, que ejerce una importante labor docente en la difusión de las danzas mexicanas, es investigador y realizador de vestuarios típicos de las diferentes regiones de México. Es además, diseñador y realizador del vestuario del grupo como también de otras compañías folklóricas.

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Benjamin Hernandez: Jalisco
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 18+ and will feature dances from the state of Jalisco.

Benjamin Hernandez director and co-founder of East Los Folklorico and Mexicapan. Conference Director for ANGF Conferences in East Los Angeles and Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Based in Los Angeles, CA.

 

 

 

 

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Guadalupe Castro Paramo: Baja California Sur
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 18+ and will include: La Suegra, El Chaveran, El Apasionado, El Tupe, La Alegria & Las Calabazas

Maria Guadalupe Castro Paramo, Ph.D.
Nacida en Morelia, Michoacán, inició sus estudios de danza a los 9 años de edad cuando ingresó (como la alumna más jóven que hasta el momento ha tendio San Nicolás de Hidalgo) al departamento de Bellas Artes para tomar clases de Ballet clásico. Sus estudios de folklore se iniciaron en el Instituto México-Norteamericano de Michoacán, de donde pasó al Instituto Michoacano de Arte Popular (IMAP), formando parte del grupo de actuaciones. Más tarde ingresó al grupo de ARCA (Arte y Caridad) de donde salió para viajar a Riverside, California, donde cursó un año en el Junior College. Ahí tuvo oportunidad de estudiar Danza Moderna. Subsecuentemente entró a la Academia de la Danza Mexicana en la Ciudad de México para especializarse como maestra de danza folklórica mexicana y directora de grupos, de donde se graduó en 1977. De ahí pasó a la escuela del Ballet Folklórico de México donde cada verano (1978-1982) tomaba juntos dos cursos consecutivos. Recibió su maestria, y el doctorado de UCLA en 1992, y como parte del curriculum que a esto la llevó empezó a investigar danzas en la región propia de cada una. Con los Voladores de Papantla viviócada verano por ocho temporadas, en Tampico estudió el huapango en todas sus formas por más de diez años, en Michoacán continuó sus estudios con Juan Antonio González Soria, y más recientemente se ha afocado a la investigación de la Danza de la Piña, para lo cual ha hecho tres viajes a la ciudad de Tuxtepec, incluyendo la celebración de los 50 años de esta danza. Desde 1990 ha impartido clases en Danzantes Unidos, y desde hace que funge como maestra de danza folklórica en Fresno City College. En 1971 fundó el que es ahora el Grupo Folklórico Oyohualli, y creó el programa Noche de Danza Mexicana, que se presenta ahora cada primavera en el teatro del Fresno City College.

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Jose Vences: Morelos
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 18+ and will feature dances from the state of Morelos. Maestro Vences' approach to instruction is to place high expectations on his dancers, to push them to discover their true potential, at times beyond their own expectations. This work can be very emotional as he challenges his students to work at their very best and draw from within themselves all the strength and talent ballet folklorico requires. This class is not for the sensitive or faint-hearted. Come prepared to commit yourself completely. This class will be open to intermediate/advanced level adults.

Jose Vences was born and raised in Morelos, Mexico where be began his training and love of dance at the age of sixteen. He studied dance with Jesus Parra Duje at the Universidad Autonoma de Morelos in 1983 while earning a degree as an elementary school teacher. He was honored with being selected to participate in the Cultural Exchange program with Kansas City, Missouri in 1984.

He later became a member of the Compania Universitaria del Centro Cultural Morelos under the direction of Raul Rubi before deciding to further his professional dance training by moving to Mexico City. He attended summer classes at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1985, then auditioned for and was accepted with the world famous Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez. He became a member of the resident company in July 1986 and later was promoted to the first company in January 1987 where he performed throughout Europe, Mexico, Brazil and the United States. In 1990, Mr. Vences moved to Los Angeles and in 1992 was an original founder of Ballet Folklorico del Pacifico (now known as Pacifico Dance Company), where he served as artistic director for 9 years.

Mr. Vences' approach to instruction is to place high expectations on his dancers, to push them to discover their true potential, at times beyond their own expectations. This work can be very emotional; Mr. Vences challenges his students to work at their very best and draw from within themselves all the strength and talent ballet folklorico requires.

"I will say that this job can be difficult," Mr. Vences explains, "because this company is made of dancers with a diversity of backgrounds- some are trained technical dancers, others have a more organic talent. My expectations for each of them are the same: to perform at their personal best. I provide them with strategies, with the knowledge that has been taught to me throughout my career, to empower them. It is an emotional experience. I try to connect with my dancers, through metaphors and personification, and even jokes, to draw connections between what I am expecting in the studio and their own personal experiences. Sometimes this process challenges them to change their concept of dance, a new relationship between movement, intentions, emotion, and the music. More than anything, I would say that I demand commitment, because I believe that where there is genuine intention, there is a good result."

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Rudy Garcia: San Luis Potosi
This class is for Yellow and Blue level dancers ages 18+ and will feature footwork, styling and technique of the dances from the state of San Luis Potosi. Repertoire to include: La Presumida, El Querreque, El Caiman

Rudy F. Garcia began his dance training while a student at Stanford University. He has danced with Flor de la Esperanza, Los Lupeños de San Jose, Xochipilli de San Jose, Alegría de San Jose, as well as Jubilee American Dance Theater. He has served as Artistic Director for the San Francisco Bay Area groups Alegría de San Jose and Los Lupeños. He was Conference Director for ANGF 1990 in San Jose for the Asociacion Nacional de Grupos Folkloricos. He currently serves on the Board of Directors, as Treasurer, for Danzantes Unidos de California and is a Board Member of World Arts West, the annual producer of the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. He is the author of the "Folklorico Handbook" in use in colleges with a folklorico program throughout the US. He is a contributing author in Dancing Across Borders: Danzas y Bailes Mexicanos recently published by the University of Illinois Press.