The Texas Association for Dance and Culture (TADC) was founded on the belief that every student and dance educator in public schools deserves equitable access to high-quality dance education and resources. This vision came to fruition when Karla Hardaway, co-founder of the North Texas Ballet Folklórico Contest, witnessed elementary and middle school dancers performing Ballet Folklórico without proper footwear. At that moment, she recognized a pressing need for change. "As I watched those students, all I could think was, 'This isn't right. These kids are showing up, giving their hearts to this stage, and they don't even have shoes,'" Karla recalled. Motivated by this inequity, she reached out to trusted colleagues and cultural advocates, inviting them to join her in creating a nonprofit dedicated to supporting dance educators, students, and communities across Texas, particularly in under-resourced areas.

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A Movement Begins

What began as a response to inequity soon evolved into a statewide movement. TADC’s mission crystallized: to empower dance educators, students, and communities through the transformative power of dance and culture. Within the first 12 months of operation, following the receipt of our determination letter, TADC launched its Adopt a School program, served in two school residencies and master classes, advocated for Ballet Folklórico to be recognized as an academic fine arts contest at the state level, and connected with dance and culture educators across Texas. Moreover, we provided a folkloric movement workshop for high school students in collaboration with the Creekview High School Dance Department, and our inaugural professional development event in collaboration with the Texas Woman's University (TWU) Dance Division.

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El Poder of Collaboration and Community

TADC and TWU Dance Division proudly launched the inaugural Ballet Folklórico Professional Development Program and Folkloric Movement Workshop. This initiative was specifically designed for dance educators, professors, directors, cultural advocates, artists, and multidisciplinary educators at the pre-K to collegiate level who share a passion for dance and culture. These efforts set a precedent for future collaborations as we bridged the gap between tradition and innovation. By providing access to high-quality professional development, community, and networking opportunities, we created a space that celebrates, cultivates, and embodies cultural identities through movement.

The participants engaged in workshops focusing on implementing culturally grounded curricula, cultural pedagogy, and the history and aesthetics of regional dances from Sonora, Nuevo León, Colombia, and Guanajuato. Through shared discussions and experiential learning, they explored fundamental dance practices and movement aesthetics in depth.

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Foundations of a New Program

The development of this initiative began on February 2, 2025, when Professor De La Rosa held the inaugural Ballet Folklórico Scholarship Audition for the newly integrated TWU International Dance Company. This Ballet Folklórico ensemble will collaborate with the TWU Mariachi Program, and together they will help pave the way for the integration of Ballet Folklórico at TWU. Knowing the significance of this new venture, we worked together to create a curriculum in which the company members would learn from Ballet Folklórico experts, while also providing a space for workshop participants to observe, learn, and network. 

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From the outset, we approached this collaboration with a shared conviction: that every individual, whether dancer, educator, counselor, researcher, or cultural advocate, brings something invaluable to the space. Building and maintaining this belief required intention, openness, and resilience.

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Curriculum Highlights

In conjunction with the Ballet Folklórico summer residency for the International Dance Company, TWU and TADC collaboratively designed the following curriculum:

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• Observation – Warm-Up & Choreography
  Instructors: Román Ramírez, MEd., & Dr. Luis Canales
  Participants learned warm-up routines emphasizing alignment, breath, pacing, and injury prevention, highlighting the importance of preparation as much as choreography.

• Facilitated Pedagogical Dialogue
  Facilitator: Elisa De La Rosa, MFA
  Participants engaged in discussions that examined the intersections of cultural dance practices through a somatic lens, exploring their relationship to learning, identity, and resilience.

• Program Building
  Facilitator: Karla Hardaway, MFA
  The focus was on how to design culturally authentic Ballet Folklórico programs, covering the history of the art form, curriculum design, funding, and fostering community trust and cultural belonging.

• Fundamentals of Ballet Folklórico
  Instructor: Román Ramírez, MEd.
  This session delved into footwork, warm-up structure, artistic expression, and choreographic clarity across all skill levels.

• Regional Workshops: Cultural & Contextual Immersion
  Sonora (Mexico) with Dr. Canales: A fusion of Indigenous, Spanish, and vaquero traditions.
  El Currulao (Colombia) with Claudia Patricia Ingram: Rhythms of courtship, nature, and Afro-Colombian heritage.
  Nuevo León (Mexico) with Juan Orona: Polka and redova traditions shaped by European influences.
  Arribeños de Xichú (Guanajuato, Mexico) with Beto Rincón: Improvisational mountain sones and poetic exchange.

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Each session concluded with a Q&A where participants gained further insight into the history, costumes, community impact, and preservation of each region's traditions. Attendees received certificates of completion, along with lesson plans, videos, and structured curricula to apply in their classrooms.

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Navigating Challenges Together

Organizing this cross-disciplinary event while balancing full-time responsibilities posed significant challenges. Coordinating schedules for TADC, TWU, program logistics, guest artists, and workshop details required ongoing collaboration and flexibility. Managing venue conflicts, aligning with TWU's audition dates, and securing resources pushed us to stay organized and responsive. One of the most complex yet rewarding aspects of this experience was bringing together educators, artists, counselors, and researchers, requiring the creation of a shared language and alignment of diverse instructional approaches. Despite these obstacles, we maintained open communication and problem-solving, ultimately fostering unity and purpose.

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When Community Lifts You Higher

Both TWU Dance Division and TADC are dedicated to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to engage with dance. What truly stood out during the Professional Development on June 16 and the Ballet Folklórico Movement Workshop on June 19 was the realization of our mission in real-time, through the power of community. Counselors and researchers worked alongside educators to explore how dance contributes to emotional well-being and cognitive development. Artists and cultural advocates led powerful discussions about authenticity, storytelling, and artistic representation.

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This collaborative spirit created an inclusive and welcoming environment where every participant felt valued. The experience became a holistic, transformative journey, where movement served as a ritual of care, pedagogy extended beyond technical skill, and cultural identity was embodied in every session.

Over 67 educators, professors, counselors, artists, and cultural advocates participated in this event, each committed to the transformative potential of dance and culture. These sessions facilitated meaningful exchanges in cultural dance pedagogy, creative practices, and advocacy in today's educational climate.

We are profoundly grateful to our presenters and all those who attended for helping us establish a stronger foundation for Dance and Culture in Texas. The Ballet Folklórico Movement Workshop surpassed its role as a professional development event, transforming into a space for identity, resilience, and healing. Participants departed with new perspectives on integrating dance into counseling, research, and broader community initiatives.

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El Poder of Collaboration

This collaboration taught us several important lessons:

• Collaboration requires vulnerability.

• By listening and adapting, we strengthened trust and ownership.

• Community fosters innovation, with diverse perspectives driving creative and multidisciplinary session designs.

• Shared purpose propels collective problem-solving and forward momentum.

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Beyond Expectations

This intentional collaboration extended far beyond technique. It affirmed cultural identities, sparked innovation, and fostered lasting connections across disciplines. Together, we’ve cultivated a space for Dance, Culture, and Community, serving as a model for what dance education can—and should—be: inclusive, empowering, and transformative.

El Poder of Collaboration has elevated our program from a workshop to a movement, redefining the future of dance education across Texas.

Con Amor,

Elisa y Karla
 

About Us

We’ve known each other for over 20 years, connected by our friendship and shared journey as artists, educators, and Texas Woman’s University alums. While we each explore dance through different perspectives, our commitment to growth and community has always brought us back to one another. Two decades later, we are honored to come together again, combining our passions and experiences to offer this professional development opportunity to the community. This collaboration is a celebration of where we’ve been and our shared vision for the future.

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Elisa De La Rosa- edelarosa4@twu.edu

Karla Hardaway- info@txdanceandculture.org