Juvenal Vasquez

Juvenal Vasquez

Juvenal has been teaching traditional Mexican dance locally since the late 1980s. In 1995 he began teaching Ballet Folklorico de Ninos at SPACE which provided free rehearsal space, and soon began performing at SPACE's annual Cultural Performance Projects. As the program grew, Juvenal moved Ballet Folklorico to Mendocino College. As a Mendocino College instructor for 14 years, Juvenal has dedicated himself to performing Mexican folkloric dance as an artist and teacher. His mission has been to keep the colorful cultural Mexican regional dances alive. As a role model for youth, he teaches respect for his culture, and has performed on numerous occasions, like Cinco de Mayo events, Noche de Estrellas at the SPACE Theater, and the Spring Dance Festival sponsored by the Mendocino College Theater Department. He has organized festivals to bring Mexican folkloric dance groups to Mendocino County and talent nights to inspire locals to get up and dance. In 2010 Juvenal was given the Mendocino County Arts Champion Award.