New classes for traditional Mexican Folklorico dances begin Monday, Jan. 9 at 5:30 p.m., and enrollment is open to anyone interested. Ballet Folklorico de Durango is a community performing arts dance group for all ages.
Students must be at least 5 years of age, and the cost for enrollment is $60 per semester. Fees are waived for Fort Lewis College students, and scholarship assistance is available for all others.
Ballet Folklorico de Durango is offered by El Centro de Muchos Colores Hispano Resource Center at FLC. The goal of this cultural arts dance group is to promote pride in Mexican heritage as well as provide a seamless mentorship pipeline for regional students grades from kindergarten to college and beyond.
All dancers learn basic footwork, dance choreography and performance etiquette, as well as the history and the traditional Folklorico dances of various states throughout Mexico in a fun and supportive environment.
Classes are held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday at FLC's El Centro de Muchos Colores Hispano Resource Center located on the ground floor of the Student Union building across from the bookstore. Registration for a full semester is required, performances can be optional.
Instructors for spring 2017 semester are Melisa Smith and Veronica Flores. Smith was born and raised in Durango, graduating from DHS in 2007 and from FLC in 2012. She has studied Folklorico dance since she was a child and member of a nonprofit to serve underrepresented students in Durango called Del Alma (then DLEC).
Flores is from Albuquerque and a junior at FLC studying forensic psychology. She too studied Folkorico and was deeply impacted by the music, history and costumes of the traditional Folklorico dance.
Registration forms are available at El Centro, or online at www.fortlewis.edu/elcentro and can be returned to El Centro at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Dr., Durango CO 81301 or brought to the first day of class.
Ballet Folklorico de Durango is supported by Jerry Martinez at CJ's Diner and Lourdes Carrasco, who is retired from FLC, as well as grant support from Brennan Oil and LPEA. To support the sustainability of this program's student scholarships, please make your donations to FLC Foundation with Ballet Folkorico in the memo.
Please direct any questions to El Centro de Muchos Colores coordinator, Shirena Trujillo Long, at 247-7290, or long_s@fortlewis.edu.
