Mission

The Centro's mission is to create, preserve, promote and educate about Chicano, Mexicano, Latino and Indigenous art and culture.

Directions

2125 Park Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
Gallery Hours
Tues. - Sun. 12 - 4 pm

Tel. 619-235-6135
Fax 619-595-0034
E-mail: centro@centroculturaldelaraza.org

The Centro is located on Park Blvd. and Inspiration Point Way
in San Diego's Historic Balboa Park

Easily Accessible from 12 & C Trolley and # 7 Bus Line

News

The Centro Welcomes Stephanie de la Torre as New Executive Director! Read Press Release

Seven Year Centro Boycott Ends

RE:UNION C/S Exhibit Opens Sat., June 30

Upcoming

To Visit the Centro's
Online Calendar

Welcome to the Centro Cultural de la Raza

 

For a list of exciting upcoming events, performances and programs at the Centro, please visit our online schedule.


Submit an Event or Exhibit!

To submit a proposal for an event or an exhibit at the Centro Cultural de lar Raza, please download hte following submission forms. All submissions will be reviewed by the Arts Advisory Committee.

Event Proposal Guidelines: doc | pdf

Exhibit Proposal Guidelines: pdf

For your special events and collaborations email: events@centroculturaldelaraza.org


Centro's Session 5 Class Schedule

CENTRO CULTURAL de la RAZA – FALL 2008 CLASS SESSION

BALLET FOLKORICO KIDS
Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Instructor:  Federico Guerrero
Ballet Folkorico Kids class teaches children traditional Mexican dance. The class offers instruction to children 5-11 years in this traditional discipline. Children will learn basic steps and dances.


BALLET FOLKORICO YOUTH
Mondays & Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:00 p.m./$5.00 per session

Ballet Folkorico Youth teaches basics and regions in traditional Mexican dance. The class offers instruction to teenagers from the ages of 13-18 years in this traditional discipline. The Teen dance company performs at
community and cultural events with the Ballet Folkorico de Centro Company.

Youth & Kids Instructor:  Federico Guerrero
Instructor: Federico Guerrero brings 24 years of experience in dance specializing in Ballet Folkorico. Born and raised in San Diego Federico started dancing at the age of 3. He began his career at a young age as a dancer with the Hispanic Mexican Ballet. He studied under the Artistic Direction of master dancer Gilberto Mendez in Zapaopan, Jalisco, Mexico and was formally trained at the University of Guadalajara, Fine Arts Division.  Federico is the founder of Grupo de Danza Folklorica Mexican Yollotl Mexicatl.  Until recently he taught folkoric dance in the National City School District.


BEGINNING GUITAR
Tuesday 6-7:30 $5.00 per class

This class will offer a guitar curriculum intended for beginners.  The workshop is intended to cover basic terminology and theoretical principles necessary for understanding guitar interests, such as acoustic, plectrum, classical, electric etc.   Students will learn music theory fundamentals, note reading, tablature, chord charts, rhythm exercises and strumming techniques through a selection of a diverse musical genres, and styles including a final ensemble piece performance. 

Instructor: Esteban Cardoso has been playing, composing, and studying guitar for over ten years.  He began playing music in a high school Roc en Espaol cover band. In 2001, he became the lead vocalist, and guitarist of the local ska/rock band Acteal. In 2002, he participated as the guitarist for the San Diego City College/UCSD theatrical production of “Guadalupe”, and presented at the Chicano Theater Festival at UCLA.  Since 2003, he has studied classical guitar technique, and became an on and off member in both Southwestern College, and Mesa College guitar ensembles.  Esteban has collaborated musically with Los Able Minded Poets. He most recently performed at the Centro Cultural de la Raza as part of More than Meets the Minds art opening.  He studies traditional Son Jarocho, and performs with Son Sin Fronteras, a collective of artists who strive to create consciousness through music.


CIRCULO DE EXPRESION-Writing Circle
Thursday 5-6/$5.00 per class

Creative expression is the ultimate manifestation of our soul, through music, poetry and art. When we create, our soul speaks. We all hold light inside and we all have something to contribute and share with humanity.  Our words, thoughts and ideas, when expressed to others create movement, life, and inspiration. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to express their voice. The writing circle is geared towards individuals who love to write and share, workshop and want to expand their voice and writing.  We will foster positive dialogue that will lead into writing sessions. All writing levels welcome!

Instructor: Irene Castruita-believes that through community organizing, art, poetry, and music “another world is possible- a world where many worlds fit.”  With her lyrics, whether singing with Son Sin Fronteras, a San Diego based group, fusing traditional son joracho with modern styles, or performing spoken word, Irene has influenced others to heal and go beyond borders with creative self expression. Irene is a member of Los Able Minded Poets, a spoken soul, funk, hip hop band who in 2004 won the San Diego Music awards for best hip hop album.  She has worked with community organizations such as the Prism Process, Beautifight Coalition, and M.E.Ch.A. Central de San Diego, Colectivo Zapatista, Circulo de Mujeres and the Red Calaca Arts Collective. She is also a member of the Centro Cultural de la Raza’s Arts Advisory Committee.


BOMBA – Puerto Rican Dance
Saturday 11:30 – 1:00 p.m./$5.00 per class session

Bomba is a uniquely Puerto Rican musical genre for dance. Bomba emerged as a very important expression to the system of slavery and a form of spiritual strength. It's a family of rhythms and dances referred to by
their names... (sica, yuba, holandes, seis corrido, etc). Dancers are essential to Bomba.  In this class dancers take turns challenging the drums, creating a dialog with their movements that the solo drummer
answers in a call-and-response pattern with a lead singer and a chorus.

Instructor: Jade Power-Sotomayor / Areito Borincano Areito Borincano (founded in 2001) is a non-profit organization based in San Diego dedicated to promote the culture of the island of Puerto Rico, by serving as ambassadors of its Afro-Puerto Rican dance and music (Bomba). The group helps preserve the tradition by offering classes and performances. The emphasis in the dance classes is to create new dance steps and body movements without losing the traditional feel of Bomba. The members of Areito Borincano wish to expose more people to Bomba and are committed to encouraging more people to explore Afro-Puerto Rican heritage and traditions. www.areitoborincano.com


AFRO CUBAN DANCE
Saturday 1:00 – 2:00 p.m./ $5.00 per class

Class will begin with warm up and stretching to basic music. The History of Afro Cuban Dance will be covered. Students will develop phrases across the floor to live music, including Panthon, Yoruba, Palo, Macuta, Francohatiano, and Rumba. All levels encouraged. Students must bring their own skirt.
 
Instructor: Silfredo La O Vigo is a professional dancer in the Afro-Cuban and Haitian tradition, as well as popular Latin dance and modern. He is a graduate of the National School of Art in Havana ( Cuba ) where he obtained a B.A. in Modern Dance and Afro-Cuban Dance. He toured professionally with Cutumba: Ballet Folklorico Afro-Cubano for five years and with the modern dance company ODC / San Francisco from 2001 to 2003. He now resides in San Diego and currently teaches at Palomar College as a Dance Professor.  He is also the Musical Director of the Palomar College Drum and Dance Ensemble.

CASINO STYLE DANCING
Saturday 2-3:30/ $5.00 per class

Casino is salsa dancing Cuban-style, developed through a combination of Afro-Cuban rhythms of Rumba (including Guaguanco, Yambu, & Columbia), and European ballroom dancing. Casino can be danced with a partner, but this style of dance incorporates the Rueda, a social form of dancing where multiple couples dance together in a circle, following calls from the Rueda leader. It's social dancing at its best!
Instructor:  Vidal L.Cordova, JR. ESQ. has been dancing salsa for most of his life. In 2004, he decided to take a more structured approach to learning how to dance and learned the ropes of Cuban salsa-Casino under Julian Mejia's Casino studio in Atlanta. Vidal has also learned under top Casino instructor Henry Herrera from Miami, and master Rumba teacher Felix "Pupy" Insua, from New York. Born in Puerto Rico, Vidal carried Caribbean music in his blood, but had a desire to learn about the music from the roots up--from where it all started. Vidal's musical influences for dance include Rumba, Yambu & Guaguanco, Timba and salsa. Vidal is also a musician and has played guitar in salsa in Atlanta, Georgia.


CHICANO MASTER SERIES/TALLER de ARTE
Saturday 3:30-5:30 /$10.00 per class

Students will have the opportunity to work with artist Mario Torero in a master apprentice class. The class will focus on public art, murals and community spaces. Students will collaboratively complete a mural project at the Centro Cultural de la Raza. The instructor recommends advanced level students with background in painting and art. Students must supply some of their own materials.

Instructor:  MARIO TORERO ARTIVIST MAESTRO. Mario Torero’s work is comprised of the coordination and production of Fine Art through Murals and Sculptures within the community of San Diego, Tijuana and Los Angeles as well as globally. Mario’s body of work consists of socially motivated public artworks that have evolved into a master plan concept that continues to march on to the tune of humanity’s dream. 



ARTS AND LETTERS: ART MAKING FOR YOUTH
Sunday 12 – 1:30 p.m. $5.00 per class

Arts and Letters explores the concept of the book as object.  Participants will deconstruct a hardbound book, in order to create a new book, a 3 dimensional object.  The workshop is designed to promote literacy and reading.  Writing will be used as a communication and information tool, as well as, other written systems: including mathematical phrases, 2+2=4, and musical notations.  Students will discuss different writing genres: novels, poetry, fiction, and short stories.  We will identify participants favorite reading material; novels, comics, magazines, others, from which we will read out loud, followed by questions, thus promoting comprehension, and attention.  Students will create and construct a book using recycled materials.  Recommended age group is 10 – 18 years of age.   
Instructor:  Carmela Castrejon Diego Carmela Castrejon Diego has been working as an art teacher for many years. She has conducted workshops at Centro Nacional de las Artes, San Luis Potosi. She taught at DASH in Chula Vista, California.  and ART IN ACTION an interdisciplinary summer camp with young adults in Reno, California. 
Professionally Carmela works as an interdisciplinary visual artist. She is currently exhibiting at Instituto de Cultura, Tijuana, Baja California, and has most recently participated in ARS LATINA 2007, TAPETES 2.1, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, and MI TEMA, Centro Cultural de Tijuana (CECUT).


TECHNICAL VOICE CLASSES
Sunday 2:00 – 3:00/ $5.00 per class session

Technical Voice will teach the basic elements of singing, diaphragm breathing, notes, and voice production exercises.  Students will start class by classifying their vocal range.  This course will offer a variety of methods to develop proper breathing and voice production. 
Instructor Armando Cruz was born, raised and educated in La Habana, Cuba.  Mr. Cruz is a graduate of the prestigious Instituto Superior de Artes, where he received the title of Professor of “Bell Canto”. He most recently, taught at the Arts Programs at the Universidad de San Luis Potosi, where he will publish his first book, La Tecnica Vocal – Base del Canto.


 

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