El Centro de Muchos Colores and its Mexican dance program, Ballet Folkorico de Durango, will celebrate Cinco de Mayo this weekend with several local performances. Cinco de Mayo is the date to commemorate the unlikely victory of the Mexican army against the French in the historic battle on May 5, 1862 in Puebla, Mexico.
Ballet Folklorico de Durango has five scheduled performances on Friday and two performances on Saturday to assist the regional community in celebrating Cinco de Mayo with beautiful music and dances of Mexico.
Performances Friday, May 4 include Florida Mesa Elementary School at 2:10 p.m., private morning shows for the elderly at Sunshine Gardens Retirement home, Volunteers of America apartment complex, and public shows at Tequilas and Nayarit Restaurants between 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.
Saturday's public performances include Cortez Public Library at 1:30 p.m., and the Dandelion Festival at Rotary Park in Durango at 5:30 p.m. In addition, Escalante Middle School will showcase the dancers at 2:45 p.m. next Friday, May 11 in the school's cafetorium.
Ballet Folklorico is available for public performances starting again the fall, and requests can be submitted online at www.fortlewis.edu/elcentro. Youth and adult classes are offered for all levels, abilities and experience and new dancers from any background are welcome to participate.
Classes for the fall semester will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 6 in El Centro, located on the ground floor of the student union building at FLC. Youth ages 5-18 and community members of any age may enroll. The cost is $60 per dancer for the semester. FLC students pay no fee, and dancer scholarships are available upon request.
Donationas are always accepted to assist the scholarship program and Ballet Folklorico de Durango. Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to the FLC Foundation Office, with the words "Ballet" in the memo.
For questions and more information call 247-7654 or email: long_s@fortlewis.edu; or register online at the website.
