Born in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, Maestra Karina Estrella was influenced by the richness of the Mexican Culture and its Danzas Folkloricas. At age 5, she joined La Casa De La Cultura de Ensenada. Her family later immigrated to the San Fernando Valley in California, where she joined Ballet Folklorico Ollin. At age 18, she began to utilize her dance experience and skills to promote bailes folclóricos as a volunteer at various...
Sara Moguel was born in Villaflores, Chiapas and moved to California in 1992. She graduated with a Master degree in the Arts of Teaching in 2011. Sara Moguel has been dancing with Ballet Folklorico Aztlan de CSUN for over ten years. BFA de CSUN instilled in her the love for Mexican folklorico dance. She has been teaching folklorico for five years in Ventura County and is now the director of her own group,...
Alexander Manzanares, a son of Mexican immigrants from the state of Chihuahua, was born in Dodge City, Kansas and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a teenager his love for dance began with his high school folklórico dance group. Upon graduation, he dedicated his time attending festivals, conferences and focusing his attention on traveling across Mexico, visiting maestros in their homes and learning folklórico at its roots. He has been an active member...
Irene Hernández has over 35 years of experience as a dancer and instructor. She has taught workshops in Italy, Hawaii, Mexico, Wyoming, Las Vegas and New Mexico. She has studied with over 30 Maestros from Mexico and the USA. She received a Key to The City of Carson, CA and was featured on K-ABC's TV SHOW, "Vista LA" for all her accomplishments in folklorico. At DUF 2016 Maestra Irene will be teaching Repertorio: Baja...
Jose Vences is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and director with decades of experience in Mexican folk dance. He began his dance training at sixteen while studying at the Universidad Autonoma de Morelos. In 1985, he relocated to Mexico City to begin training at the distinguished Instituto National de Bellas Artes. In 1986 he was accepted into the touring company of the world-renowned Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez. In 1990, Jose came...
Alfredo “El Godo” Herrera, originario del puerto de Veracruz, inicia desde muy pequeño sus incursiones en el son jarocho en fandangos y fiestas populares. En 1989 se incorpora a los talleres de son jarocho impartidos por el grupo Mono Blanco, y es precisamente de esos talleres donde surge, en el año de 1990, el grupo Son la Plaga del cual es miembro y fundador. En 1996 apenas contando con trece años, fue nombrado...
Mr. Vizcarra’s passion for dance began at the age of eight when he joined "Ballet Folklorico Xochiquetzal". Throughout the years he became interested in other dance disciplines, jazz & ballet; while continuing his study of folk dances of Mexico. As he gained more experience in dance, he became so inspired by all of the different dance forms that it led him to create his own choreographies. He then decided it was time...
Mayra Selene Ornelas has been teaching for over eighteen years. Her passion for Mexican folk dance started at a very young age when she lived in Guadalajara, Mexico, where she developed her foundations as a folklorico dancer. Selene, as all of her students know her, has been a member of folklorico groups companies Folklorico Mi Tierra & Danza Teocatl. She currently directs her own company, Grupo Folklorico No Te Rajes Jalisco, based...
Gabriel Avila started dancing at the age of 10 and hasn’t stopped since. A Native of Mexico, Mr. Avila has been educated in many disciplines of Dance & Movement, including African, Ballet, Flamenco, Folklorico, Modern, Jazz and Movement for Musicals. Mr. Avila attended World Famous Hollywood High for the Performing Arts, and has a degree in Art History. He is a former Instructor-in-residence for Paso De Oro Dance Company. Mr. Avila...
Maria Romero was born and raised in the City of Santa Clarita, California. Her love for the performing arts began when she joined a local folklórico group, The Santa Clarita Community Center Ballet Folklórico. She later joined Grandeza Mexicana, a well-known Mexican Folklorico dance company in Los Angeles under the artistic direction of Jose Vences. Maria has performed with the company in many prestigious theaters and performing arts centers such as the Ford...