Marcela Cardenas has been dancing folklorico for many years, practically all her life. She was introduced to dancing at a young age in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. It then became her passion. This passion led her to join the Real Ballet Charro, Grupo Folklorico del H. Ayuntamiento de Guadalajara and later Grupo Folklorico de la Universidad de Guadalajara under the direction of Rafael Zamarripa. She earned her degree in dance from the University of Guadalajara in 1980. Later, she received a Bachelors in Science in Marketing and a Masters degree in Education at the University of Arizona.

In 1990, Marcela moved to the U.S. and continued her teaching career in Tucson, Arizona at Pima Community College; later at Desert View High School where she started the Folklorico del Desierto in 1994. She directed the “Grupo Folklorico Los Tucsonenses” for twenty years.

Dancing Folklorico has given Marcela a way to share her passion and love for her culture and traditions with her students, family and many life-long friends. It has inspired many travels throughout Mexico and the United States. Maestra Marcela currently resides in Tucson, Arizona.

At DUF 2016

Maestra Marcela will be teaching the region of Jalisco for adults at an intermediate/advanced level; ages 18+.