Meet Calidanza
Founder
Executive/Artistic Director
Steven Valencia
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Steven Valencia, founder of Calidanza in 2013, is an award-winning director and passionate artistic leader. With over two decades of experience, he has been creating, commissioning, and producing professional, award-winning choreographies since 2005. As an artistic director since 1998, Steven brings dynamic vision and creativity to every project. He’s also a skilled grant writer and arts administrator, dedicated to advancing the arts and fostering innovation. With his bold productions and visionary leadership, Steven continues to inspire and transform the dance world.
Lead Instructor/Coordinator
Academy Instructor
Rosario Rosas
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Rosario has danced for several groups and companies since 1996. In 2015, she completed a Diplomado Didactica de las Artes through SEP (secretaria de educación pública) and ANMPA (Asociacion Nacional de Maestros para las Artes) with the culmination in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. She has been teaching Folklorico since 2018.
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Academy Director
Company Assistant Director
Social Media Manager
Megan Benitez​
Megan has been dancing with groups and companies since 2003. She has taught Folklorico since 2018 in Sacramento and Southern California. She completed her dream of dancing Folklorico in the Disneyland Parade celebrating 100 years of Disney and 10th anniversary of Viva Navidad. Most recently she has trained with esteemed, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez and Mexico de Colores. Now back in Sacramento she is Assistant Directory to CaliDanza performing Company. She also leads the new generation of dancers as Director of CaliDanza's Academy.
Dance Instructor
Idbin Acosta​
Idbin first started his Folklorico journey as a dancer at UC Davis and has been dancing since his collegiate years. Idbin connects with his roots and draws his inspiration for dance through traditional ceremonial danza Mexihca in the town of Woodland, Ca. His hobbies include playing mariachi music at the University of California Davis and teaching mariachi and string orchestra in public schools.
Dance Instructor
Fatima Gutierrez-Ramirez
Fatima Gutierrez-Ramírez started dancing folklorico more than 10 years ago. She has danced with multiple groups in the bay area, and started teaching in 2021. Her favorite region to teach is Sinaloa because of the upbeat music. Fatima currently studies at UC Davis with the goal of obtaining her teaching
credentials.
Dance Instructor
Briana Hanes​
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Briana began dancing at age six with El Ballet Folklórico Tepatitlán led by Monica Zuniga for 10 years. When she moved to Sacramento, to attend college, she danced with Raices de Mi Tierra, and later with Grupo Folklórico Los Alteños. Briana has been teaching locally since 2016. Her two most favorite regions are Chiapas and Sinaloa. Briana is very excited to have the opportunity to share this art with our newest generation!
Dance Instructor
Larisa Rosales
Larisa Rosales started dancing folklorico 8 years ago with Nuevo Amanecer and since danced with other groups. She is also an alumni from a Calidanza afterschool program. She has been teaching with Calidanza since 2023 and her favorite region to teach is Sinaloa.
Dance Instructor
Alejandro Murguia
Alejandro is an alumni from a Calidanza afterschool program. He participated for 2 years in this program and was a co-president of the folklorico club at his high school. He is also part of our Calidanza Dance Company. His favorite region to teach is Jalisco.
Dance Instructor
Marjorie Santana-Gonzalez
Marjorie Santana-Gonzalez started dancing folklorico in 2014 with Maestra Janet from Nostalgias de Mexico. Since then she has danced with multiple groups in Sacramento. Her favorite regions to teach are Sinaloa and nayarit costa. Marjorie is excited to start as a dancer instructor with Calidanza.
Dance Instructor
Karen Angel
Karen is a dedicated dancer and instructor with over a decade of experience in ballet folklorico. She discovered her passion for the art form at Sacramento High School under the mentorship of Roxana Reyes and later continued dancing at UC Davis with Danzantes del Alma while earning her bachelor's degree. In 2009, she joined Raices de mi Tierra, where she performed and taught both children and adults, refining her skills through workshops with Roxana Reyes. In 2018, she expanded her teaching and choreography experience with Folklorico Latino de Woodland and is now excited to begin her journey as an artist instructor at CaliDanza.
Dance Instructor
Grace Palacios
Grace Palacios has been dancing Peruvian folklore for more than 15 years with several companies such as Brisas Del Titicaca, altiplanic dance companies and more. Her favorite region to teach is Western South America. In addition to her dance experience Grace has had more than 10 years of teaching experience. Calidanza is excited to share more Latin cultures to our communities with the help of Grace.
Dance Instructor
Belen Thompson
Belen Thompson has been working with kids in her community since 2023. Belen has also danced folklorico for 4 years in Sacramento. She is excited to start her Folklorico teaching journey with CaliDanza. Her favorite region to dance is Jalisco.
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Dance Instructor
Saira Ruelas
Saira Ruelas has danced folklorico for 6 years with Groupo Cali. Her favorite regions to teach are Sinaloa, Jalisco and Chihuahua. She has 2 years of teaching experience to all levels of dancers. Saira is always open to learning new techniques and dances.
Apply Today
Do you have experience in Folklorico? Join our team today by contacting Calidanza:
916-599-3441