4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Semillas
Regional dance · Fidelina Lepe · Small studio
Folklorico dance academy in Sahuarita, Arizona
The dances of Mexico, step by step
Academia Zapateado teaches Mexican folklorico dance in Spanish to children and teens ages 4 to 16: the sones and jarabes of Jalisco, Veracruz, Chihuahua and more, with footwork on the platform and the costume of each region.
Regional dances
Six places in Mexico, six ways to dance
Every dance comes from a place, and in class it is learned with its music, its costume and its footwork.
- West
Jalisco
The jarabe tapatío and the sones of the mariachi: wide ribbon skirts, hats and footwork that follows the trumpet.
- Gulf
Veracruz
Sones jarochos in white lace, with a fan and heeled footwork that answers the jarana.
- North
Chihuahua
Polkas and redovas with full skirts, boots and partner steps danced in a group.
- South
Oaxaca
Sones and jarabes with embroidered huipiles, ribbons and rebozos, from the valleys to the isthmus.
- Center
Puebla
The jarabe poblano, with the china poblana dress, the rebozo and a light step.
- Northeast
Tamaulipas
Huapango norteño and polkas, with boots, hats and plenty of footwork.
The costumes
Every skirt tells where it comes from
The ribbon skirt of Jalisco, the white lace of Veracruz and the boots of the north are worn first in class.
Every dance is dressed differently, and the teacher explains in good time what each group needs. Families place the costume order in the winter, before the May recital, and footwork shoes and ribbons are bought separately.
One costume for each dance the group performs
Ordered in the winter, before the May recital
Shoes and ribbons bought by the family
A class for every age
Four levels, from ages 4 to 16. Each one dances at its own pace, and groups are made by age.
Semillas
Ages 4 to 6SkillsClapping and steps to the beat
A simple son and a simple jarabe
First footwork, in practice shoes
Retoños
Ages 7 to 9SkillsFootwork in heeled shoes
A full dance from Jalisco or Veracruz
Handling the skirt and the fan
Juvenil
Ages 10 to 12SkillsPolkas and redovas from the north, in pairs
Longer footwork with changes of rhythm
Several dances for the spring recital
Jóvenes
Ages 13 to 16SkillsDances from Oaxaca, Puebla and Tamaulipas
Footwork with live music
The whole program of the recital
Where to startBook a trial class
Sample levels.
Every dancer moves at their own pace
The year at a glance
This school year
In August
Applications openFall registration opens
Register on our registration page, and book a trial class if your dancer hasn't tried one.
Late August
Open house
See the platform studio and meet the teachers.
Early September
First dayFall session starts
The week after Labor Day.
September
EventSeptember festival season
The groups dance at community festivals; every family gets word on WhatsApp.
Week 6 of every session
EventWatch week
Families sit along the studio wall and watch a class.
In the winter
DeadlineCostume orders
Costumes and shoes are ordered in the winter, for the spring recital.
In May
RecitalSpring recital
Every group dances in a community hall, with open seating.
Sample dates.
Fall session schedule
Monday to Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
Fall session
Showing 11 of 11
Monday
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Retoños
Footwork · Cirilo Farfán · Platform studio
Tuesday
4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Juvenil
Footwork · Cirilo Farfán · Platform studio
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Jóvenes
Regional dance · Enriqueta Llamas · Platform studio
Ages 13 to 16Full
Wednesday
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Semillas
Footwork · Cirilo Farfán · Small studio
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Retoños
Regional dance · Fidelina Lepe · Platform studio
Thursday
4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Juvenil
Regional dance · Enriqueta Llamas · Platform studio
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Jóvenes
Footwork · Cirilo Farfán · Platform studio
Saturday
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Semillas
Regional dance · Fidelina Lepe · Small studio
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Retoños
Footwork · Cirilo Farfán · Platform studio
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Rehearsal for the recital
Enriqueta Llamas · Platform studio
Nothing matches that filter.
Sample classes.
Times shift a little from one session to the next.
The teachers
Six teachers share the week at the academy, and classes are taught in Spanish. Three of them lead the groups shown here, and every teacher has a background check and CPR and first aid training.
Enriqueta Llamas
Director, teacher of Jóvenes
Enriqueta founded the academy and directs it. She teaches Jóvenes and Juvenil, and is the teacher who greets families at the door of a trial class. She speaks Spanish and English.
Fidelina Lepe
Teacher of Semillas and Retoños
Fidelina teaches the youngest dancers their first sones and jarabes, and looks after the costumes of the Semillas and Retoños groups. She speaks Spanish and English.
Cirilo Farfán
Footwork and live music
Cirilo teaches footwork at every level and plays the guitar and the jarana at the Saturday rehearsals. He speaks Spanish and English.
Come and try a class
Message us on WhatsApp or call the academy, and we will help you choose a class by your dancer's age.