Danzantes Unidos Festival DUF 2018 “Cultura Sin Fronteras” will take place on March 23, 24 & 25 in Fresno, CA and honors the ongoing work of folklorico artists sharing culture and traditions across the United States and in Mexico. Registration is OPEN at www.danzantes.org . Regular Registration ends February 12, 2018.

Parents & chaperones may register to learn to make one of the most emblematic symbols which identifies Mexico as the most festive country in the world. Visual Artist, Cruzita Ramos will lead participants in a guided tour of making your own piñata at DUF 2018!! Cruzita will also provide the history, her illustrations and lyrics related to the piñata.  The skill-set acquired in this class will be very useful for you to learn how to construct other paper-mache wonders for use as stage props.  Pre-registration is OPEN online at www.danzantes.org.

For purposes of completing the project in the alotted timespan, all students will learn to make the classic “Estrella de Belen”.  Maestra Cruzita will also display her collection of a variety of piñata-styles (El Burrito, El Marranito, El Torito . . . ) that you can later experiment on your own with the skills acquired.

Proposed hours:

Saturday, March 24; 9:30am to 11:30am & 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Sunday, March 25; 9:30am to 11:30am

This activity will allow parents/chaperones an opportunity to ensure that their student is safely in class before starting and ending in time to collect your dance student at lunch and at the end of the day.  Piñata-making will continue on Sunday and all work will be cracked open (just kidding) . . . it will be displayed at the DUF Recital at noon.

DUF will provide:

Cardboard (which is why you must PRE-REGISTER)

Tissue paper (which is why you must PRE-REGISTER)

Engrudo (home-made, baby)

Masking tape

Materials you will each need to bring (PLEASE, LABEL YOUR TOOLS):

Your own Sturdy Scissors

Your own Box Cutter

Your own Wire Cutter

ONE roll of duct tape

Newspaper (a week’s worth should suffice)

Wire hangers (six)

Your own wild imagination

Cruzita Reyes Ramos was born in Rio Conchos, Chihuahua, Mexico & raised in the Lamont /Bakersfield area. She inherited 28 years of cultural dancing, sewing, singing, cooking, religion & crafting from her parents and credits 28 more years of learning additional Mexican folk dances to the maestros of DUF.  She was Founder/Director of the original Grupo Bailarin de St. Augustine  & former dancer in Xochiquetzal and SoLuna Folk Ballet.  She founded the longest running (25 years) Dia De Los Muertos Expo event in Kern County. She currently directs the “Los  Skeletos” Mexican Skeleton Folk dancers.  She has served on DUF staff for several years contributing Folklorico enhancements to the festival; organization & set-up of the DUF Ofrenda and bringing Las Calaveras Catrinas (performance artists) to the festival.

*Space-permitting, for every five group members registered in dance workshops, Group Directors qualify for a ‘FREE PASS’ to attend this class for themselves or a designated representative. The Director is responsible to contact registration@danzantes.org to obtain the pass code to *register for this class.

REGISTER FOR THIS WORKSHOP

DUF 2018 will take place on March 23-25  in Fresno, CA.

Piñata-making Workshop $35 until March 14; $50 onsite
Regular Registration January 15 to February 12 – $90
Late Registration February 13 to March 14 – $100
Space-permitting . . . Onsite Registration – $120

#DanzantesUnidos #DUF2018 #CulturaSinFronteras