South Valley folklorico group performs at Disneyland

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A South Valley folklorico radical has the show of beingness astatine the happiest spot connected earth.

The Gonzalez Dance Academy, focused connected Baile folklorico, is simply a abstraction for dancers of each ages to larn and grow.

The radical precocious traveled to Disneyland, wherever they performed successful beforehand of hundreds of people.

"Having that infinitesimal arsenic a director, I tin accidental is 1 of my arrogant moments and to being astatine the happiest spot connected world and watching my kids...gosh," said John Gonzales, recovered of the Gonzales Dance Academy.

Two groups, the younger kids and the adults, performed astatine Disney California Adventure Park connected Sunday wherever hundreds of radical watched.

He says it took experience, dreaming large and beingness changes to get to this constituent successful his vocation arsenic a director.

His passionateness for folklorico dates backmost to erstwhile helium was 5 years old.

"I started dancing professionally astatine the property of 10, and truthful I met the close radical astatine the close clip and close place, and I was capable to larn truthful overmuch astatine specified a young age," said Gonzales.

Lessons helium paid guardant by teaching the creation astatine the Porterville Unified School District for 2 decades.

In 2023, helium stepped distant from the schoolhouse strategy to absorption and grow his Academy.

Now, directing, teaching, and mentoring astir 80 dancers of each ages successful Porterville, Visalia and Fresno is simply a imagination travel true.

"I wanted to marque bigger dreams travel true, bigger ideas and spell into the unknown, instrumentality a leap of religion of faith," said Gonzales.

Marina Abitia and Ivan Cisneros person been portion of the Academy for years.

Their respect and admiration for Gonzales is unmatched.

"You are driven to marque everyone amended to travel his lead, his principles, his values, and everything helium stands for is thing you follow, and it's what makes the academy and Mr. G special," said Cisneros.

Both accidental their passionateness for the creation connects them and their families to their Latino roots.

" And having my girl who is 2nd procreation articulation and make a passionateness connected her won for our contented is apical tier."

Gonzalez says his precocious parent was his biggest cheerleader and the crushed helium ne'er stopped reaching for the stars.

And hopes to animate those who articulation the Academy.

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