On October 1, 2023, The Trinidad Aguirre-Armenta Foundation for the Arts has awarded a $15,000 grant to the Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl, artists-in-residence at Elgin Community College.

For nearly 30 years, this husband-and-wife dynamic duo, have been building bridges through the arts, passing on their cultural heritage and love of dance to their students. 

The BFH began in 1996 and has received recognition for excellence under the leadership of its founders, Cynthia and Julian Hernandez, winning numerous local, national and even international awards.

The rigorous training of dance promotes confidence in the students, which in turn is reflected in achieving academic excellence. The dancers gain a level of self-discipline through the study of dance that spills over into every aspect of their lives.  Many of these young dancers have gone on to achieve success, even beyond their dreams.  Cynthia and Julian are both trained as engineers and pass on the virtues of self-discipline, love of their culture and devotion to family and community to each student who passes through BFH. 

Julian said, “We are honored to receive this grant. It will enable us to take our dance performances to the next level and reach a wider audience.”

BFH has performances throughout the year, for dates and locations visit:   https://bfh.org/

TAAFA is a non-profit established in memory of Trinidad Aguirre-Armenta, a local, beloved artist. TAAFA’s mission is to help build bridges through the arts by supporting and encouraging local Latino artists through annual grants.  Our website is still a “work in progress.”  For more information email: armentafamilyfoundation@gmail.com