Mervyn’s Presents the Second Annual Latino Cultural Arts Festival 2002
February 2-3 · Ingalls Auditorium/Edison Center for the Performing Arts

Following the success of the 1st Concúrso de Ballet Folklórico, the ELAC Foundation decided to expand upon the annual celebration of Mexican dance. Since dance and music complement each other so well, the Concúrso de Mariachi was added.

The Latino Cultural Arts Festival was held this year over the weekend of February 2 and 3, 2002 in the Ingalls Auditorium / Edison Center for the Performing Arts. Each part of the event is a fund raiser for a scholarship. The Concúrso de Ballet Folklórico benefits the Ramon S. Ramos Memorial Scholarship fund while the Concúrso de Mariachi supports the Jesus Sanchez Memorial Scholarship fund.

The ELAC Foundation is grateful to Mervyn's for sponsoring this years Latino Cultural Arts Festival.

CONCÚRSO DE BALLET FOLKLÓRICO
The Concúrso de Ballet Folklórico benefits the Ramón S. Ramos Memorial Scholarship fund, designed to assist current and future East Los Angeles College students in achieving their educational goals. The scholarship was instituted in honor of Mr. Ramos for his many contributions to the community and to the East Los Angeles College Foundation, where he was Development Director during the 1990s.

The Concúrso de Ballet Folklórico celebrates the life of Ramón S. Ramos through the art of dance. It's our hope that this event will become an annual one and that, through it, the memory of this loving husband, father and member of the East Los Angeles College community will live on forever.

The Concúrso de Ballet Folklórico is coordinated by Rebecca Ramos Velasquez, director and faculty member, Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary.

CONCÚRSO DE MARIACHI
The Concúrso de Mariachi's mission is to connect the mariachi community and higher education through the funding of the Jesús Sanchez Memorial Scholarship fund. These scholarships will go to exemplary mariachi players who plan to enroll at East Los Angeles College with the intent to transfer to a four-year music program, or who plan to enroll in any other music program at a two-year or four-year college or university.

Mr. Jesús Sanchez was the first Mexican mariachi musician to develop a school based mariachi music program within a U.S. School system. Mr. Sanchez was first hired in 1966 by the Institute for Ethnomusicology at UCLA. He directed the first Mariachi Juvenile at Los Angeles' Griffith Junior High School in 1974.

The Concúrso de Mariachi is coordinated by Leonor X. Perez, director, East Los Angeles College Associate Dean of Planning.

Click here for the Photo Gallery