Barrington area kids learn folkloric dance

Since late June 2011, more than 50 Barrington Community Unit School District 220 elementary and middle school students have participated in Barrington Youth & Family Services’ six-week Summer Folkloric Dance Program hosted at Sunny Hill Elementary School in Carpentersville.Through the program, students received formal folkloric dance instruction and training in traditional Mexican culture and customs by professional dance instructors from Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl of Elgin and members of the Barrington High School Folkloric Dance Club.The agency#146;s counselors also worked with participants and their families to foster social and emotional skill development. Summer Folkloric Dance participants shared their new talents with more than 200 parents and local community members on Friday evening, July 29 at the end-of-summer recital at Sunny Hill Elementary School. Dances performed by the students included:Ÿ First through third grades: #147;Calabaceado#148; from Baja California.Ÿ Fourth and fifth grades: #147;Tierra Caliente#148; from Guerrero province.Ÿ Middle school: #147;Huasteco#148; from Veracruz province.The beautiful costumes and headdresses for the student dances were made by the participants#146; parents. At the conclusion of the recital, Ballet Folklorico Huehuecoyotl also presented a 20-minute performance of their professional folkloric dance repertoire. For information about them, see www.bfh.org.Barrington Youth Family Services is a nonprofit social service agency offering professional counseling, outreach, and prevention programs to Barrington/Carpentersville area youth and their families. For more than 38 years, the agency has provided a comprehensive array of services to residents of Barrington, Cuba, Dundee and Ela townships, who live within the boundaries of Barrington Community Unit School District 220.For information about Barrington Youth Family Services, visit www.barringtonyouthandfamilyservices.org, call (847) 381-0345, or stop at the office, 110 S. Hager Ave., two blocks south of Barrington High School.