Raices de Santa Cruz

Grupo Folklorico

“We are proud to represent the Beach Flats neighborhood and our Mexican cultural heritage through our native dances.  We are thankful to the Beach Flats Community Center for offering us a place within their programs.”    Felipe Garcia 

Under the direction of artistic director, Francisco Jasso, the Mexican Folkloric Ballet "Raices de Santa Cruz” is composed of 25  hard working students and individuals from  Beach Flats and local vicinity. They practice and rescue their rich Mexican ancestral traditions through native dances of Mexico. The dance repertoire includes dances from the Mexican states of Jalisco, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Colima, Nayarit, Durango, Michoacan, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. 

The Mexican Folkloric Ballet “Raices de Santa Cruz” began performing  July 7, 2006. In those first few months, with 9 children, practices were held in the outdoor patio of the Nueva Vista Apartments. Today, Raices de Santa Cruz is  housed at the Beach Flats Community Center, where  practices are held every Saturday and Sunday. Parents formed a support committee that provides financial and parental supervision to the youngest members of the group. 

During the last two and a half years  Raices de Santa Cruz have shared their art and culture with hundreds of people in Santa Cruz County.   Performances include the annual Talent Show in the San Lorenzo Valley in 2006 and 2007 (3rd Place Recipients) and numerous events at Beach Flats Community Center. Last year we celebrated our 2nd anniversary with a special performance at the Mello Center in Watsonville. Raices de Santa Cruz plans to audition for the San Francisco Ethnic Festival. 

For questions please contact:

Felipe Garcia , Parent Committee Chair

(831) 429-8949 or (831)234-9796 (Cell)

Francisco Jasso,  Artistic Director

(831) 239-1281