CONFIDENCE

In 2014, Rachel Sancén enrolled her sons Cesar and Diego in classes at Los Lupeños Academy, to keep them busy after school and hopefully help them connect with their Mexican Culture.  She didn’t imagine how much of a positive influence it would have on their self-esteem. Their confidence at school and in their social circles began to skyrocket!  Rachel says that through the hard work and preparation that dance instills, they have learned what it takes to reach their goals, both in and outside the studio. They feel ready and confident when they perform, and their enthusiasm often comes through onstage. This skill has also translated into their school projects, as it encourages her children to be better prepared and teaches them to take pride in their work.  As soon as her daughter Xochitl was old enough to join classes, she was also enrolled. Shortly after, Rachel registered, cementing their family legacy as the “Folklórico Four.”

Dancing for our community, friends, and family is satisfying, and we do it with lots of pride.

Fast forward eight years later, Rachel finds herself to be her children’s biggest fans, and they are hers. Rachel hoped enrolling her children into folklórico classes would provide them with an engaging extracurricular activity. The Sancén family has found folklórico to be an immersive artistic expression that has deepened their cultural awareness. They have a newfound pride in their Mexican traditions that bring joy when shared with others and are transferable in other daily aspects of their lives. Confidence is the key to success, as it promotes belief in one’s abilities, and the “Folklórico Four” reflect how that can be found where you may least expect it. In summarizing what this experience has meant to her, Rachel states,

Being dancers, part of Los Lupeños, Los Lupeños Juvenil and Los Lupeños Academy, is good for all of us and has blessed us beyond words.