Austin High Ballet Folklorico wins big

June 22, 2012

by Graham Dickie

The Austin High Ballet Folklorico club recently earned six trophies at the Bastrop Bailes de Mi Tierra Folklorico Competition.

“My dancers were focused, kind, gracious and soaking up all the knowledge and skills they could,” club sponsor Maura Masters said. “I was thrilled before the awards ceremony. After, all I could think was pinch me.”

In the duet category, senior Felipe Hernandez and freshman Alma-Flores Perez’s entry from the region of Hidalgo took 3rd. Flores-Perez also took second place in the category with senior Christian Franco as her partner with their entry from Coahuila.

Seniors Hernandez, Christian Franco, Mauricio Chavez entry from the region of Vera Cruz tied that of Flores-Perez, senior Allision Reyes and senior Jessica Correa from the Jalisco region in the trio category.

Senior Mauricio Chairez, Hernandez, Franco, Flores-Perez, Corea and Reyes also claimed first in the ensemble with their entry from the region of Jalisco.

In the small group category, Hernandez, Franco, Chairez, senior Ivan Trejo, sophomore Esteban Armenta, Flores-Perez, sophomore Jessica Garcia, Reyes, sophomore Maria “Lupita” Perez Cano and freshman Brenda Vences garnered second place with their entry from the Hidalgo, behind another Austin High entry from the region of Nuevo Leon. This means that Austin High took first and second in the category.

“Since we always dance against bigger, better funded programs and some that have programs in their feeder middle and elementary schools, I always tell my dancers that our goals are to leave the best performance on stage, have fun and learn as much as possible,” Masters said.

Additionally, the team had 14 division rankings, (meaning the entries were rated as high quality).