At a church in West Eugene, a group of Hispanic preteens and teens from the dance group, Ballet Folklorico Colibri, are practicing their dance moves. Their dance shoes tap against the wooden floor of the dance studio as they stand in lines of three and each take turns twirling, swinging, and tapping in unison.

The dance the youth are practicing is Ballet Folklorico, a form of traditional Mexican folk dancing that combines local folk culture with standard ballet practices. In Eugene, this traditional Mexican folk dance is helping many Latine kids connect with their culture.

Mary Sollo founded Ballet Folklorico Colibri in 2017. For her, it started as a way for her to share her culture with her daughters.

“I have two girls, very young at that time, and I noticed that there [was no] place f

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