ARTISTIC BIOGRAPHIES
Carmen Garcia, the Artistic Director of BFFW, began folkloric Mexican dancing in 1975 with the Community Action
Agency of Fort Worth ("CAA"). A collaboration between two energetic and dedicated women, Angelita Morales and
Felipa Carrizales, formed a folkloric Mexican dance group in Fort Worth. As a dancer for this group, Carmen
was instructed by Jesus Reyes and continued her instruction with the group's subsequent director, Berta Garcia.
The Ballet Folkorico Azteca de Fort Worth was incorporated in 1981 and Carmen continued to perform at various
venues throughout the metroplex and to receive instruction from many guest instructors from Mexico.
Carmen began teaching ballet folklorico with Ballet Folklorico Azteca in early 1990. In 1993, her class was
selected to travel to Budapest Hungry in conjunction with Sister Cities to assist the City of Fort Worth in its
representation of its diversity to the people of Budapest. In 1998, the same students took part in a national
commercial for Don Pablos Mexican Restaurants.
In early 2000, Carmen began to teach another generation of dancers. By 2004, these dancers amazingly took 1st Place
in the Folklorico Festival of North Texas – La Gran Competencia. They continued to progress quickly and were often
sought out directly for various performances.
In 2004, Carmen helped organize the Ballet Folklorico Azteca's winning float in the Sundance Square Parade of Lights.
This would be only one of the many accomplishments with this group of planners and organizers.
On June 3, 2005, the Ballet Folklorico de Fort Worth was formed and Carmen Garcia was named its Artistic Director.
In this very short time, this organization has received the following honors.
- 2005 Sundance Square Parade of Lights Director's Award (Best Overall)
- 2006 Artistic Director receives Latina Women Recognition Award in the Area of the Arts presented by Cultural Center of the Americas
- 2006 Folklorico Challenge USA 1st Place Winners (will compete in the National finals in Las Vegas, Nevada in September of 2007)
- 2006 3rd Place – EECU Talent Show (multiple categories)
The instructors of BFFW have over ten (10) years of experience in Folkloric Mexican Dance. Annamarie Giovannitti has a Degree in
Education and is an elementary school teacher for the Fort Worth ISD; Rocio Barreto is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University
and holds a degree in International Business with a minor in Spanish; and Catarina Bonilla graduated from Texas Christian
University with a Nursing Degree and works for Harris Methodist Hospital.
The BFFW has a tremendous amount of experience and the artistic director and instructors are committed to continuing to provide the
City of Fort Worth and the surrounding metroplex a beautiful depiction of the history and tradition of the Mexican culture.
This is done through the education of the traditional music and dances of Mexico. The BFFW also plans to bring guest instructors
from Mexico and organize two workshops in the coming year. This would further enhance the education and the preservation of the
traditions of Mexico.
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