Ballet Classes
Mary and Alex Palencia have been married for 30 years and many more to go!
Directors Alex and Mary Palencia
Leopoldo "Alex" Palencia
Founder and director.
Alex has vast experience in the performing arts industry. Alex Palencia has over 45 years of dance experience as a dancer, artistic director, choreographer and over 35 years teaching experience.With strong dance training, acting, choreography, scenery, props and cultural investigation, Alex has created his own dance technique based in basic steps repetition and brake down of these. Alex strongly avoids “putting on dances”, he believes the students need to learn how to dance first and then learn the actual dances. He counts with enormous dance information, music, videos and different researches and studies from all over Mexico; from where he had staged original (new) works with his own choreographies; at this time only 16 years into of having their own dance school, -home base of Mexico 2000 Ballet Folklorico- Mr. Palencia and his wife Mary have one of the best Folklorico Dance Schools and dance groups in Dallas and North Texas with more than 150 students and dancers. Alex Palencia studied in Mexico City with the support of his father Leopoldo Palencia Salas, renown dance Profesor and researcher of Mexican traditions; along with him he traveled for about 7 years for many regions of Mexico. Alex has worked with the two biggest Mexican Dance Companies in Mexico, first 4 years studies with “Compañia Nacional de Danza Folklorica” of Nieves Paniagua and later on 3 years with “Ballet Folklorico de Mexico” under the direction of Amalia Hernandez. Alex was also an exclusive performer in the network television station “Televisa” in Mexico City. He has extensively studied ballet, modern dance, tap, acting, and choreography. In another disciplines he has worked with Ballet Dallas, Dancers Unlimited and Cardona’s. Alex and Mary Palencia and its instructors have worked for different programs like: the City of Dallas Neighborhood Touring Program, Young Audiences of North Texas, Texas Commission of the Arts Touring Roster and provide day credit classes and after school programs for the Dallas, Garland, Irving, Grand Prairie and Richardson School Districts.
México 2000 Ballet Folklórico started in 1997 with the necessity to offer quality dance programs for the Dallas-Metroplex area audience and has been performing for many cultural and private events, presenting more than 1,200 performances in the last 25 years.
México 2000 Ballet Folklórico and its Directors Alex & Mary Palencia have
trained more than 2,000 dancers and teach to proudly present their traditional heritage in different venues; and always instill the importance of education and success in their personal life.
Alex & Mary Palencia always worked very close with Alex’s late father Professor and researcher of the Mexican traditions Leopoldo Palencia Salas. He assisted them and counseled them to try their best and stage dances, regions and “Cuadros Costumbristas” but most importantly to preserve and transmit the authentic traditions of Mexico.
Felicitas "Mary" Palencia
Founder and director.
Mary has vast experience in the performing arts industry. Mary Palencia has more than 40 years of dancing experience. Artistic director, choreographer, costume designer and 16 years teaching experience.Mary studied dance in her native state of Sinaloa, Mexico under the direction of Professor Blanca Ramos Alarcon Barroza after which she performed in several groups in the state of Baja California Norte. She also lived two years in the Chiapas and Oaxaca areas studying the culture of these beautiful states.Mary had performed and toured the USA with Ballet Folklorico Mexico 2000. Mary has a wide knowledge of traditional dance and music that she applies to the costumes she designs for many dance companies in the United States and Mexico. Mary is experienced and energetic, hard working and detail–minded, she designs and creates all costumes for Mexico 2000 productions and several school districts dance programs. Mary is passionate about the art of dance and Mexican culture and traditions. She is currently certified in Zumba Fitness, Zumba Circuit and Toning. Mary is enthusiastic to share her knowledge and experience with her students.