Ballet Folklorico Flor de Mayo is happy to announce our 5th annual World Itotia Festival this summer

 

World Itotia Festival will be held in Los Angeles, California on August 1st - 4th, 2024. World Itotia Festival will showcase a variety of dance forms from around the world. The meaning of the term Itotia is “dance” in Nahuatl, the common language of ancient Mexico. This festival aims to draw together local people, businesses, youth and community organizations, media, and visitors from all over the world on an annual basis to celebrate the richness, diversity, and many heritages of world dance. We offer our participants, sponsors, and collaborators an opportunity to generate awareness of their company at the beginning of a growing festival. World Itotia Festival plans to promote the power of dance to overcome forces of division and fear, by weaving together dancers drawn from the cultural mosaic that is America. 

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Our Purpose:

• To provide the opportunity to learn and network with choreographers, directors, and performers

• To provide Southern California communities the exposure to diverse World Dance cultures through workshops and performances.

 

Our Mission:

• To create a dance festival that attracts people from surrounding cities 

• To provide a platform for dancers, choreographers, and directors to showcase their talents

• To gain recognition as a community of international dancers 

• To host international dance groups and show them the beauty of our country

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Our History:

Ballet Folklórico Flor de Mayo (BFFM) is a non-profit organization established in 1994. We are a diverse group of dancers representing Southern California. Our goal is to educate the world about the richness of the Mexican culture through dance and music. Our dance company keeps traditions alive, as it is reflected in our authentic costumes and choreographies. BFFM has traveled to various international dance festivals which has in turn inspired BFFM to bring those same experiences to the United States with World Itotia Festival. 

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BFFM has had the honor of participating in the following International Festivals 

• 2019, 21st Beijing, China International Tourism Festival

• 2018, 12th International Competition Festival of Folklore, Dance and Music, Etoiles De Paris, France 

(Ballet Folklorico Flor Mayo, winners of the GRAND PRIX award)

• 2018, Lloret de Mar, Spain "Costa Brava Folk festival

• 2017, Santiago de Chile Cultural Festival

• 2015, VIII International Folkloric Festival Bracciano’s Castle, Italy

• 2014, 16th Beijing, China International Tourism Festival 

• 2013, 15th Beijing, China International Tourism Festival (Performed for over 75,000 people)

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These festivals enabled us to showcase dances that represented the diverse Mexican Folklórico dance styles as well as other world dance forms. BFFM networked, met master teachers and dancers from around the world, as well as visited important landmarks and monuments. It was an honor to perform in other countries and experience their cultures. These festivals unite and emerge dancers into a unique blend of cultures, experiences, and professionalism.  

 

World Itotia Festival would be an amazing opportunity for participants to share their culture of traditional dance with Southern California’s communities. We estimate 200 to 230 participants from Southern California, as well as national and international participants.