Grantee Database
Grant Year
2026-27
Grant Program
Arts and Youth
Award Amount
$17,500.00
Project Description
With support from the California Arts Council, Cuicacalli will provide free and sliding-scale access to culturally rooted dance education weekly for K-12 youth in San Francisco’s Mission District from October 2026 through September 2027, with summer addition of latin music/dance/arts classes. CAC funds will support teaching artists, accessibility accommodations, costumes, bilingual family outreach, and student performance opportunities at BRAVA Theater and community sites. Youth ages 5 to 18 will train in Ballet Folklorico, Indigenous dance, Contemporary Dance, Hip Hop Dance, and related Latinx and Afro-Latinx cultural forms while building confidence, discipline, teamwork, leadership, cultural pride, and belonging. The project will culminate in community sharings and performances that bring families, elders, artists, and neighbors together to celebrate living traditions and strengthen intergenerational community connection.
Organization Summary
Cuicacalli Escuela de Danza (classes): Offered weekly from August to May and take place at Brava Theater.
Ballet Folklórico, led by Jesus Cortes. Three levels (beginning, intermediate, advanced). This class explores dance styles evolved in Mexico resulting from the diaspora of music, rhythm and dance from Pre-Hispanic Indian, European, African and Asian cultures. Students perform dances characteristic of varying regions focusing on group, couple and individual choreographies. Classes include warm-up and stretching leading to lifelong habits of physical health.
Contemporary dance, led by Artistic Director, Jesus Cortes. One group of mixed level: A diverse contemporary class beginning with stretching, body awareness, and moving through warm up combinations that accumulate into full dance choreographies. Classes emphasize technical strength building, floor work, and contemporary and ballet concepts and vocabulary.
Cuicacalli Dance Company, led by Artistic Director, Jesus Cortes. One group of mixed level, who meet on commission. Cuicacalli Dance Company fuses dance styles inspired by cultural traditions and modern day themes. These choreographies revive traditions and reflect social and environmental situations. By including dance styles such as Indigenous, Folkloric, and Contemporary, Cortes expands traditional and modern dancing with a new lens.
Cuicacalli Mariachi Program “Mariachi La Misión,” led by Ariane Cortes. One mixed level group meets weekly. Students learn to make Mariachi music through individual coaching and ensemble work. Students explore Mariachi music forms and hone their skills in voice and unique Mariachi instruments Mariachi La Misión connects music, history and culture of Mexico through the art form that brings together all generations.
Cuicacalli Summer Arts Camp and Young Adult Summer Internship meets in June. A Spanish bilingual and culturally rich program for children ages 6 to 12, with young adult internship possibilities. Classes are intertwined with weekly field trips and focus on music, dance, and visual art.
Organization
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Address
2781 24TH ST
San Francisco
94110
County
San Francisco
Region
Bay Area – San Francisco
Website
Congressional District
Congressional 11
State Assembly District
17
State Senate District
11
