Dance
At Fiesta Mexicana we strive to use the performing arts to teach the values of self-discipline, self-esteem, and responsibility; while instilling a sense of cultural pride and the importance of family and community.
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We are proud to offer instruction in a variety of dances. We specialize in dances from various regions of Mexico and Latin American countries, such as Costa Rica, Republica Dominicana, Venezuela, Cuba, Peru and more!
Our repertoire includes, but is not
limited to:
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Ballet Folklorico
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Country Western
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Salsa
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Merenge
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50’s
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Jazz
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Ballet
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And many others
Dancing Your Way to a Better Tomorrow
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When Group Four learned about the lack of extracurricular activities at New World Educational Center, they immediately decided to help. They worked together to identify local non-profit organizations that could potentially benefit from offering extracurricular activities at the school at no cost. Their search led them to the “Drug Elimination Family Awareness Program” (DEFAP), a non-profit organization located in Glendale, AZ, which utilizes the arts as a means to build self-esteem, social development, substance abuse prevention as well as cultural pride and awareness in youth. One of DEFAP’s primary programs is “Fiesta Mexicana Dance Company”, which was established in 1996 and works to preserve Latino culture through dance. Due to its success in the West Valley over the years, DEFAP has had a long-standing interest in opening a dance location for “Fiesta Mexicana Dance Company” in Phoenix, AZ. With this knowledge, Group Four coordinated an introduction meeting between DEFAP and New World Educational Center to discuss a potential partnership that would benefit both organizations and their worthy causes. DEFAP agreed to provide weekly dance classes in exchange for utilization of the school as its new Phoenix location. This was a win-win scenario for both parties. Through this collaborative effort, New World Educational Center would now be able to provide dance classes to improve the academic success and well-being of its students while DEFAP could continue its expansion in the greater Phoenix area.
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Thus, dance classes were set to commence on May 4, 2016 from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. at New World Educational Center and continue every subsequent Wednesday. In preparation, flyers and registrations forms for the dance classes were created in both English and Spanish and distributed to students at the school from April 25-29, 2016. On April 25, 2016, Group Four set up an enrollment table after school to promote these dance classes and register students on the spot. This initiative gave Group Four the opportunity to connect with the students and their families first hand. In the process, they were happy to discover that many of the students and their families were excited to learn about the dance classes and DEFAP’s programming as a whole. On that date alone, Group Four managed to sign up 23 students for dance classes.
Once dance classes kicked off on May 4, 2016, student participation increased to 26 total dancers. Group Four and DEFAP’s intent was for these weekly dances classes to ultimately culminate with a performance during the school’s “Talent Show” on June 6, 2016. During the “Talent Show, “ students would have the chance to showcase a professionally choreographed dance number in front of school faculty, staff, friends and family, in order to build a sense of accomplishment and pride. Thus, each class strived to build confidence and teamwork through dance. Every week, students learned various Latin dances, such as salsa and merengue, just to name a few. The students also learned about the history and cultural significance of all the dances and costumes they studied. Over the next few weeks, Group Four visited these dance classes to observe the students and gauge the success of the program. They found that the students were actively engaged in the process. They also observed laughter and social interaction amongst peers. In addition, the instructor, Daniel Martinez did an excellent job of incorporating lessons about both dance and cultural awareness. Overall, the student participants gained many benefits by taking part in these dance classes.
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Studies indicate that schoolchildren who participate in extracurricular activities tend to do better in school and are more likely to graduate. Once New World Educational Center secures grant funding, DEFAP plans to offer more of its programming at the school including cooking classes and art classes. The efforts of Group Four, in addition to the willing and eager participation of New World Educational Center and DEFAP, has created a promising future for a group of bright students, many of whom are Latino. Through these initial dance classes and the “Talent Show” performance, presented by DEFAP’s “Fiesta Mexicana Dance Company”, they now have more opportunities than ever before to build self-confidence, engage in exercise and learn about Latino culture with a sense of pride.
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Excerpts from HLI Group Four: Narrative Report
Martha Graham, one of the most prominent pioneers of modern dance, once said, “Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.” It is such passion and drive that leads to success not only in dance, but in life. That’s why dance is one of the most popular extracurricular activities offered to schoolchildren in the United States. It is known for promoting self-confidence, discipline, physical fitness and historically, all of which enrich a young child’s mind, priming it not only for success on the dance floor, but in the classroom. With this in mind, Group Four of Valle del Sol’s Hispanic Leadership Institute, sought to improve the Latino community, as well as the community overall, by implementing a dance program at New World Educational Center, a non-profit charter school on 7th Street and Bethany School Rd., which, due to a lack of funding and general resources, did not offer any extracurricular activities to its students. That’s where the efforts and can-do spirit of Group Four stepped in.