We began our adventure in Oaxaca (a first for JUNTOS!) and had the pleasure of working with Ballet Folklórico Tradicionál del Estado de Oaxaca), teaching modern dance to the students as well as taking ballet folklórico from them! Thanks to both the Oaxaca Secretary of Arts and Cultures Rogelio Santibáñez and ballet folklórico director Fermín Ramirez, we culminated the Oaxaca portion with a joint performance – not only dancing alongside the ballet folklórico dancers but each group performing a piece with the other!

After saying our goodbyes to our new friends, we made a quick stop to Guanajuato to teach a workshop to dancers from Ballet Folklórico Infantíl de la Universidad de Guanajuatoand performed outdoors for the public. Next stop: San Miguel de Allende!

For the fourth year in a row, JUNTOS taught girls from Hogar don Bosco, a girl’s orphanage and foster home. After three days of workshops, the girls joined JUNTOS for an outdoor performance in San Miguel’s Jardín (the main square!). Also present in the shared space of the performance was Ollín Yolitzlí, a youth ballet folklorico group (directed by Monse Ramírez), whom JUNTOS has taught in the past.

Final destination of the trip was Mexico City, where both performance (Foro Coyocanese) and workshop (at CASU for over 60 students) were well received.

Overall, another successful JUNTOS trip – we are so happy to strengthen existing friendships and build new ones! With your help, we hope to continue our work in Mexico for many years to come.

Want to see more photos? Check them out here.