Durango
(Ages 18+)
Maestro: Rudy Garcia
Dancer and musician, Rudy F. Garcia began his dance training while a student at Stanford University. His expansive career has been formed through his experience as a member of various San Francisco Bay Area performing art groups: Ballet Folklorico de Stanford, Flor de la Esperanza, Los Lupeños de San Jose, Xochipilli de San Jose and Jubilee American Dance Theater. He has served as Artistic Director for Alegría de San Jose and Los Lupeños de San Jose. In his spare time, Rudy is a physicist and design engineer in the semi-conductor industry.
As an avid researcher of Mexican folk culture and history, Maestro Rudy has established a vast network of information resources and has served as a consultant to groups throughout the state. His book, “Folklorico Handbook” is currently in use at the collegiate level in folklorico programs throughout the state. He is a co-author of Dancing Across Borders, published by the University of Illinois Press.
He is a National Endowment for the Arts Folk Arts grant recipient and has served as a California Arts Council Dance Panelist. In 1990, he directed the international dance conference for the Asociación Nacional de Grupos Folklóricos (ANGF) in San José. He is a former board member of World Arts West, which produces the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. He has served as an instructor for the Danzantes Unidos Festival for over 20 years. Maestro Garcia currently serves as President for the statewide organization, Danzantes Unidos. In 2013, Maestro Rudy Garcia served as a Cultural Consultant for the Disney/Pixar film “COCO”.
Folklorico has been my passion since 1974. It has been a focus in my life through dance, music, travel, and eventually my writing. I have been involved with Danzantes Unidos since 1981. As a former board member of World Arts West (SF Ethnic Dance Festival), I have been involved with the world of folk culture as a whole. I look forward to sharing some of my experience and dances with my students at DUF 2022..” –Rudy F. Garcia