St. Mary's Ballet Folklorico of Redlands Celebrate 40 Years by Kayla Sheldon - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events
directory

St. Mary's Ballet Folklorico of Redlands Celebrate 40 Years

By Kayla Sheldon, Community Writer
November 24, 2014 at 02:22pm. Views: 144

St. Mary's Ballet Folklorico of Redlands invited the community to celebrate 40 years with a dance show consisting of five different acts on Saturday, Nov. 8. The first performance began at 3 p.m. at the Redlands Relay for Life, and the night performance began at 6 p.m. There was also a silent auction available to all attendees after the performances. Some of the dancers created paintings and arts and crafts pieces that were up for the auction. “We probably should have spaced the two performances farther apart because the silent auction got a lot of people’s attention because there were so many people still there from the first performance... we didn't know it'd be so popular,” Director of Instruction and Choreography Jenna Aguirre said. She estimated with the combination of both performances that about six-hundred people attended the events. “This was a big deal for us and we’re happy we got to share it with so many people from the community… they were all so enthusiastic,” she shared. Each performance varied from five different folklorico dance groups that ranged from five-year-old’s to young adults. The first dancers to perform were the ‘beginners group’, composed primarily of five-year-olds. The dancers got progressively older as the performances continued. Group four, composed of the oldest dancers, was made of those ages fifteen and up. The entire performance covered different regions of Mexico. According to Aguirre, each group covered a dance based on different time periods. For example, one group covered the time of the Mexican Revolution. The audience ranged from interested community members, families, and even past dancers and directors of St. Mary’s Ballet Folklorico of Redlands. “All of the past five directors attended and we were able to acknowledge them in the middle of each performance,” Aguirre said. She also shared that some of the past dance members were seen in the crowd and acknowledged in front of the audience who gave them a round of applause. “It’s because of them that we are able to continue what we’re doing so we were so happy they were there so we could acknowledge them,” she said. The founders of St. Mary’s Ballet Folklorico of Redlands have passed away: Petra Lopez and her nephew Jose Ruiz-De la Torre. “Between the two of them, this group was started.” All five of the past directors were able to attend: Mary Hernandez (Petra Lopez’s daughter), Delores Cortez (Jenna Aguirre’s mother), Elena Hernandez, Anna Gonzales, Matthew Cortez, and as well as the sixth and current director Ryan Rainbolt. Aguirre mentioned, “We were really excited that we were able to share our progress throughout the years… they were all able to see how we evolved and we were able to see some of the previous dancers and members.”

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 735

Athlete of the Week Christopher Michael Lemos, Redlands High School Junior and Varsity Quarterback, proudly represents the Terriers with his dedication, leadership, and passion for the game.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1206

Redlands Pottery Project joins A.K. Smiley Public Library for a November 14 workshop designed for young artists ages 13 to 18. A lump of clay may not look like much at first. In the hands of a young artist, however, it can become a bowl, a decorative sculpture or an entirely unexpected creation.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.redlands.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 2722

The University of Redlands Department of Theatre and Dance will present Día de los Muertos and Other Folk Tales November 5 through 8, 2026. Stories told by grandparents often become treasured parts of a family's history. Some are humorous, others mysterious, and many carry lessons that remain meaningful long after the storyteller is gone.

Photo Courtesy of: UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 807

A remote wildfire-monitoring camera overlooks a Southern California landscape. Redlands has partnered with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program to improve monitoring of areas near northern Redlands and the Santa Ana River wash.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.akspl.org/events/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1603

Annual ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will bring American history to life on November 21. On a November morning in Redlands, the sounds of fifes, drums and historic artillery will offer residents an opportunity to experience a chapter of American history that continues to influence the nation more than 160 years after the Civil War.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:18pm. Views: 735

The first years of a child's life are filled with milestones that families often remember forever. A baby's first smile, the first attempt to crawl and the first spoken words are moments of celebration. They can also bring questions, uncertainty and new responsibilities for parents learning how to care for a growing child.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 793

CSUSB’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has earned recognition for it for its work to create a more inclusive, diverse and supportive physics department, earning the Bronze Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Physics & Astronomy SEA Change program.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 1874

Operation Green Light returns November 4–11, encouraging residents to recognize military service and help veterans connect with available resources. As darkness settles over San Bernardino during the first week of November, green lights will illuminate several county buildings, transforming familiar government facilities into visible reminders of the sacrifices made by America's military veterans.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.authentikusa.com/

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 842

As America's most famous highway celebrates its centennial in 2026, San Bernardino reflects on the road that helped shape its neighborhoods, businesses and identity. Long before interstate highways became the preferred routes for cross-country travel, motorists making their way through San Bernardino followed a road that would become one of the most recognizable highways in American history.

Photo Courtesy of: Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 657

Muscoy Elementary students join SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, Board of Education President Mayra Ceballos, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. Tasha Doizan, Director MaryRone Goodwin and San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. for the official ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the school’s new outdoor learning center.

Photo Courtesy of: https://riversiderecord.org/; A photo of Moreno Valley City Hall. (Alicia Ramirez/The Riverside Record) Credit: (Photo by Alicia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 944

A city is often judged by what residents experience every day: the condition of its streets, the reliability of public services, the availability of recreational programs and the ease of obtaining information from local government. Behind those everyday experiences are departments and employees whose work rarely attracts national attention.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 852

Athlete of the Week Zachary Scott Perez, Senior at John W. North High School, is recognized as Athlete of the Week for his dedication and accomplishments as a student athlete.

--> -->