TAMIU Folklórico Festival Returns Saturday

The head-spinning rhythms of Mexico will set skirts swirling and zapatos tapping as over 200 dancers participate in the Ninth Annual Texas A&M International University Folklórico Festival Saturday at 7 p.m. in the TAMIU Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Advance tickets are $5 at the TAMIU Student Center Information Desk and from TAMIU Ballet Folklórico members. Tickets at the door will be $10.

The performance is part of a weekend series of workshops hosted for dance teachers and students from Laredo, across the State and Mexico. Performance proceeds help to offset student expenses to attend the popular workshops, explained Gaby Mendoza-García, TAMIU Ballet Folklórico director.

“Folklórico groups from all over Texas and México will receive more than eight hours of folklórico dance instruction by noted maestros from the United States and México. The workshop has grown from 40 participants to more than 200 dancers. In an effort to keep the workshop at low cost to participants, and in exchange for participation in the workshop, the folklórico groups will perform for the community on Saturday,” Mendoza-García said.

In addition, monies raised by the festival, the group’s biggest fundraiser, will be used for costume supplies, travel and workshop costs.

Participants this year include, TAMIU’s Ballet Folklórico Juvenil, Honore Ligarde Elementary Ballet Folklórico, Dovalina Elementary Folklórico Group, Beli’s Dance Studio, Vidal M. Treviño Ballet Folklórico, Laredo Community College Ballet Folklórico, Ballet Folklórico Viva México from Corpus Christi, Ballet Folklórico Apango de Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mestizo Escuela de Baile Folklórico from San Antonio, Texas A&M University-Kingsville Ballet Folklórico and the  Memorial High School Ballet Folklórico from Victoria.

Also,  Ballet Folklórico Celestial from Texas A&M University in College Station, Alcorta’s Corpus Christi Folklórico, Mario’s Sol y Luna Ballet Folklórico from Edinburg, the Edinburg Parks and Recreation Folklórico Dance Team and TAMIU’s Ballet Folklórico.

On Saturday, Cynthia Alcorta of Alcorta’s Corpus Christi Folklórico will be recognized as the third recipient of the Outstanding Mexican Folklórico Dance Teacher of 2007 Award given by the TAMIU Ballet Folklórico for her contributions to dance.

For more information call García-Mendoza at 326.2934 or e-mail gabym@tamiu.edu

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu