One of the dancers sharing the colorful culture of Mexico at the 39th annual International Friendship Day on Saturday was Nashelly Castillon-Martinez.

She came to Fairbanks in 2002 to perform for Fairbanks Concert Association with her professional dance company, Ballet Gran Fokloric de Mexico. The group performed at Hering Auditorium.

“We met,” recalled Jose Luis Martinez, a lifelong Fairbanksan who is now a well-known disc jockey and financial adviser in Fairbanks. “She left and went on to finish her tour.”

The two kept kept in touch. In January 2003, he visited her in Mexico City and met her family. She then came north and met his family. Both their visits were extended stays of about one month.

“On her birthday, April 30, 2003, I rented the Hering Auditorium for an hour where I prop

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