MEXICO
Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima
COLIMA. MEXICO
The Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima (BFUC) was founded in 1980 by choreographer and sculptor Rafael Zamarripa Castañeda. It gave its first official performance on July 23, 1983; since that date, and for 45 uninterrupted years, it has undertaken numerous national and international tours, visiting countries such as the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Panama, Cuba, Portugal, Guatemala, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, England, France, Germany, China, Korea, Ecuador, Italy, and the Netherlands.
The Folkloric Ballet is one of the most iconic treasures of the city of Colima. It consists of various repertoires, which include performances representing both Colima and the entirety of Mexico.
Its objectives are to convey a sense of identity and pride in Mexican roots, to promote interest in folkloric dance among new generations, and to invite the
public to connect with traditions while enjoying the talent
of young university artists.
The Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima has
established itself as a high-quality university artistic group,
representing Colima in various regions of Mexico as well
as abroad.
El Ballet Folclórico de la Universidad de Colima se ha
consolidado como una agrupación artística universitaria
de calidad, representando a Colima en diversas entidades
de la república mexicana y el extranjero.
Throughout its history, the Ballet has completed more
than 40 international tours and has performed before
various presidents of Mexico, Guatemala, Panama,
and Korea.
It was the first university group to perform at the Palacio
de Bellas Artes.
It has served as an official representative of Mexico at
world-renowned events such as EXPO Sevilla 92, the
Atlanta 1993 Cultural Olympiad, and EXPO Hannover 2000.
It also performed at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican before
more than 30,000 pilgrims. Subsequently, the members of the Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima were received by Pope John Paul II.
tThe BFUC was designated a “Group of Excellence” in 1995 by the International Council of Organizations of Folkloric Festivals (CIOFF) under UNESCO. In 2001, it was awarded the first “Millennium Prize” at the 31st World Folklore Competition and Festival in Gorizia, Italy, where it competed against more than 10 folkloric groups from around the world.
Subsequently, it inaugurated the Aztec Art Exhibition at the Royal Art Museum in London, England, and at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, in 2002 and 2005, respectively. In 2005, representing Mexico, the CIOFF sections of Spain and France named it one of the 10 best folkloric ballets in the world.
In 2007, the Ballet was selected to represent Mexico at the 50th anniversary of the oldest folkloric dance festival in the world: Confolens, France. It was part of a select group of 13 international companies considered the most outstanding in the festival’s history and was honored with performances for both the opening and closing ceremonies of this memorable event.
In 2008, it celebrated its 25th anniversary with a splendid performance at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Additionally, the University of Colima published a commemorative book on the ballet’s 25-year history, written by Alberto Dallal, the foremost dance critic in Latin America. In December of the same year, the company premiered the commemorative 25th-anniversary program titled “Nostalgia.”
In June 2016, the University Ballet performed at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, one of the most important venues in Latin America. This event earned the company the Las Lunas del Auditorio 2016 award in the Folkloric Dance category.
The Folkloric Ballet has a vast repertoire, organized into eight different programs, each lasting approximately two hours.
For forty-five years, the Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima has offered its diverse national and international audiences a renewed approach to folkloric dance. While maintaining regional expressiveness and grounded in meticulous and in-depth musical, artistic, and movement research, director Rafael Zamarripa has professionally organized dancers and musicians, technicians, promoters, and teachers to present ever more enthusiastic audiences with complete performances: choreographies staged in compact groups or lines, solos, duets, juggling and unexpected patterns, routines, and traditional steps revitalized through a dance geometry executed by passionate dancers, perfectly trained in rhythmic and expressive execution.
In developing the pieces of the Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima, Zamarripa began by exploring new aspects of local Colima legends and events, extended his research to neighboring states, and incorporated into the repertoire notable dances that have become, since Independence, classics of Mexican folklore. Mexico is a country of exceptional dancers across all genres and styles, and the Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima maintains rigorous standards in preparing its ensembles. Alongside its international expansion, the company has fostered the professionalization of the genre through the inclusion of the most suitable performers “in body and soul” in academic programs and training courses. Its well-structured choreographies and versatile, strong performances have made this Folkloric Ballet a paradigm of Mexican dance. It is a university organization that has become a global model.
Currently, the Folkloric Ballet of the University of Colima is under the direction of Cristian Azael Gutiérrez Vega, who inaugurates the 2025 season with the program “Steps of History, Vibrant Soul.” This production offers a choreographic journey connecting with the roots of pre-Columbian culture, exploring the folkloric expressions of Mexico, and venturing into contemporary dance, weaving a narrative that celebrates the country’s identity and cultural diversity.
