20 Years On, Young Dancers Find a ‘Piece of Mexico’ at Calpulli’s Community Program

Calpulli Mexican Dance Company provides community dance classes at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria to teach Mexican folkloric dance to children, teenagers, and adults. The nonprofit program, which has operated for 20 years, allows students as young as 5 to participate through a donation based model.

Executive director and co-founder Juan Castaño said the program transitioned to a donation model after observing families walk away because they could not afford the initial $10 class fee. The company uses fundraising and outside support to ensure financial concerns do not prevent students from dancing. Last year, the program received an award from Catholic Charities of New York to support its community and educational resources.

Participants travel from the five boroughs and other areas to attend the Sunday afternoon sessions. This fall, students are studying dances from various Mexican regions under the theme "Danci."