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Folkloric Dance teacher, John Gonzales, has taught at Granite Hills since 2003. This year he has 300 students, as opposed to the average 160 students. They all agree that this program gives students a lot more than just dancing skills.

Elide Solis has been a member of Folkloric Dance since her freshman at Granite, and now as a junior she is in the advanced class.

“I only entered because I had recently moved from Monache and that was the only class they had available for me sixth period, so I stayed, and quickly fell in love with it,” said Solis.

Gonzales also believes his students not only learn to dance, but also become better people.

“Through this program, the students learn to respect themselves, gain the knowledge of commitment and dedication, and their maturity level grows,” said Gonzales.

Former student Bianey Alejandro said, “I learned to appreciate my culture more and faced my fears of performing for an audience.”

Gonzales believes that for the Spanish community this program is important for showing tradition and expressing the culture.

“It does make me feel a stronger connection to my culture because I am representing it when I dance,” said Solis.

This year the theme of the dance will be “Michoacán,” this will include the outfits and dance song.

The group is currently practicing hard for their upcoming performance, The Spring Concert. With many returning talented students, and lots of new talent, Gonzales feels confident that these students will do great.

“It is not going to be easy with this many students, but I am looking forward to really making it through with no conflicts,” said Gonzales.

“This program has given me self-respect, pride in my culture, and confidence in myself,” said Alejandro.