The Ballet Folklorico Mestizo dances their way onto the stage this weekend in favor of Oxnard College’s Spring Concert. The Folklorico club rehearses year round to showcase their cornucopia of dances that have dazzled the Spring Concert goers for the past five years, and no doubt will maintain the wonder of their craft this Saturday when they grace the stage again.

The Folklorico Mestizo dance club is an important group initially established in an effort to uphold the Mexican culture through dance and music. This union came about 12 years ago when Oxnard College students and faculty found a common interest in celebrating Mexican traditions on stage and in song; a medium for any viewer to appreciate.

The Mestizo has performed for schools, non-profit organizations and festivals alike, sharing the time-honored traditions that have been valued for generations with new, varied audiences. The performance of imaginatively engaging folk dance provides a means to show respect to, and learn about the ways of Mexican ballet. Most importantly, Folklorico hope to evoke love for the art, and convey their passion into the hearts of the concert’s spectators.

“The dancers practice all year long, and this is the big show when they really get to showcase everything they do,” said Matilde Sanchez, choreographer and director of the Ballet Mestizo. This year’s production is making its home at Oxnard’s Pacifica High School, who is amiably offering up the stage of their Performing Arts Center to the Folklorico posse.

Whether new to the Folklorico or a seasoned vet of Mexican ballet, the dancers all take great pride in educating and entertainingtheir audiences while continuing to preserve their culture and keep traditions of Mexico living.The Ballet Folklorico Mestizo arrives April 22 at Pacifica High School, 600 E. Gonzalez Rd. in the Performing Arts Center.

There will be showings at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. General ticket prices are $8 and students get in for $6.