As you are taking a stroll at Clovis West High School, we invite you to explore one of this year’s newest exhibitions that highlights and celebrates the beauty of our cultural dances.  Danzantes Unidos Festival DUF 2015 Multimedia Art Exhibit will feature the artwork of three visual artists whose work was inspired by their participation in the folklorico community.  They are excited and honored to present their pieces which reflect various themes of folk dance, cultural empowerment and Latino pride.  Each artist utilizes a different medium and has a unique style. We are proud to announce this year’s Multimedia Art Exhibit featured artists: Jose Anaya, David Gonzalez and Dr. Alfredo Ponce.

Jose Anaya is a photographer and videographer based in Los Angeles.  He attended West Los Angeles Community College where he specialized in computer science and is a System Administrator at J.H. Snyder Company, a commercial real estate development company.  In 2011, he joined Tierra Blanca’s Dance Company where he was able to pursue and improve upon his passion for traditional Mexican folk dance and continues to remain an active dancer.  Jose also volunteers as a producer of photography and videography for various folklore organizations including Tierra Blanca Arts Center, Coalicion de Folkloristas Unidos, Danzantes Unidos, Resurrección Mexican Folk Dance Company and Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet.  A combination of Jose’s hobbies of folk dance, photography and videography drive the inspiration behind his work.

David Gonzalez is a graphic designer based in Los Angeles.  His interest in art at a young age led him to take every art course offered at his high school and to graduate college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communications from American InterContinental University.  As the owner of DG Designs, David has designed for school districts, small businesses, events, Eric Ochoa, the well-known YouTube celebrity “Ego the Cholo,” and folklorico companies and organizations such as Esplendor, Grupo Folklorico Orgullo Mexicano, Danza Folklorica Amor Eterno, Coalicion de Folkloristas Unidos and Danzantes Unidos.  He started creating folklorico visual art pieces when his niece Jishaly began dancing folklorico and she continues to be one of his biggest inspirations often pictured in his work.  He enjoys helping folklorico groups and organizations and is passionate about his work.  To David, seeing people happy after viewing his designs make it all worth it.  You can view his artwork on Facebook and Instagram by following DG Designs.
Dr. Alfredo Ponce is a self-taught part-time web designer, inventor, and graphic artist based in Fresno.  A self-described “wannabe artist,” he humbly holds a doctorate degree in Education from USC. Alfredo has collaborated with Miicamisa Folk-Urban Wear on a variety of projects and his work can be followed on social media under the moniker of “Pholk Coulture.”  Alfredo danced (or tried) folklorico during his teen years and 20s and credits folklorico in part for changing the trajectory of his life from running the streets to actualizing many of his personal and professional goals. The positive role models and experiences are two gifts among many he never anticipated he would gain from his participation in the folklórico community.  His goal as a visual artist is to represent Latin@s in the most positive light possible with technology as his tool.

The Multimedia Art Exhibit is one of the many festivities at Danzantes Unidos Festival DUF 2015 “Reconquistando el pueblo con danza y cancion.”  The largest Mexican folk dance festival will occur on March 27-29 at Clovis West High School in Fresno.  For more information, visit www.danzantes.org.