The Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico was founded in 1984 by Arnulfo Camarillo with the help of his wife, Beatriz Camarillo. After studying folklore dance at the Universidad de Guadalara in Jalisco, Mexico, Arnulfo returned to the United States with aspirations to keep this Hispanic culture and its rich traditions alive. He achieved exactly that and accomplished so much more. Camarillo was first given
the task to form a group as a Mother's Day gift for the mothers in the local area. The original group consisted of about 15 determined kids. After Mother's Day, the kids wanted to learn more and Arnulfo was happy to keep teaching. Throughout the years, the QCBF has welcomed students from a variety of backgrounds to join in their mission to express the Hispanic culture through dance and music. Soon these young kids were performing traditional dances from the states such as Nayarit, Veracruz, Nuevo Leon, and the popular Jalisco. The QCBF have performed at many local events including Viva Quad Cities, Cinco de Mayo Fiestas, and the Festival of Trees. However, they have also had the opportunity to perform in other states such as Indiana and Arizona. The QCBF also has had the privilege to host numerous professional dancers from surrounding areas as well as Mexico. These would be informative workshops designed to instruct new dance steps and choreography. Not only do the workshops introduce new traditional dances, but it also presents a learning environment at a professional level. These workshops in conjunction with the hard work and dedication of the students and parents allow the QCBF to continue their reputation as a well known local area attraction. Ray Terronez Jr, a QCBF alum, has been serving as the Director since 2008. He is accompanied by fellow QCBF Alums, Sonia Herrera and Andrea Martinez. Even after all of these years, the QCBF’s mission is to give our dancers and the community, the knowledge of this beautiful Hispanic culture and to keep it strong for generations to come.
