Education & Cultural Awareness through the Arts
ANMBF Mission & History
Our mission at ANMBF is to create a cultural and educational foundation to unlock the potential of every child through active engagement in the arts.
Our Core Values:
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Offering arts and cultural opportunities to an underserved population, to cultivate the growth of new audiences, and to ensure the continued growth of the arts in Dallas.
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Promoting quality arts education instruction through the application of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Physical Education, and Fine Arts curriculum standards overseen by the Texas Education Agency.
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Developing excellence in skill, nurturing self-confidence/self-esteem and advancing personal achievement through quality instruction and professional, on-stage opportunities.
ANMBF addresses the need for enriching the lives of young audiences of all ages and across various ethnic/cultural backgrounds through a diverse array of dance and arts education programs available year-round:
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Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico Performing Companies
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ANMBF Dance Academy
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Cinco De Mayo & Hispanic Heritage Month Productions
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Educational Outreach Programs
Our goal is to provide diverse and educational programming that couples physical movement and activity with cultural and historical knowledge. We offer dynamic dance education through our Student Performing Companies, where the dancers rehearse and perform alongside professional dancers, and through our Dance Academy, which trains students in Classical Ballet and Ballet Folklorico technique and includes a semi-annual recital. Our Performing Companies present a variety of programs to communities across North Texas that feature:
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Traditional Mexican Folk Dance and Music
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Folk Dance and Music from various countries in Latin America
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A series of dance theater programs based on children's educational books
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Contemporary or folk fusion works created based on Latino stories and traditions
Serving the
Dallas community since 1975.
History of ANMBF
In 1975, a recreation center was built in Dallas’s economically depressed west side. Then City Councilwoman, Anita N. Martinez was instrumental in the effort. This center was the birthplace of the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico (ANMBF), the initial purpose of which was to instill in young people a sense of cultural pride and self-worth through the study of the traditional dance forms of Mexico.
Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization in 1981, the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico strives to increase the awareness of Ballet Folklorico as an educational art form that reflects history, geography, physical fitness and most importantly, culture. Through its diverse programming, ANMBF helps people of all ages and ethnicities discover the Hispanic heritage that has so heavily influenced and enriched nations across the western hemisphere. With 42 dancers as of 2020, ANMBF is considered the largest professional Ballet Folklorico ensemble in the United States. It has been a trailblazer in the Dallas/Fort Worth Hispanic arts and educational community.
In 1990, ANMBF produced its first season of professional dances employing dancers trained in Mexico. The Professional Company dancers, as well as the Mini-Professional Ensemble, Children’s Ensemble and Junior Company dancers serve as cultural ambassadors for the Latino citizens of Dallas.
ANMBF has produced professional performances at the Latino Cultural Center, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas Theatre Center, Dallas Museum of Art, Bath House Cultural Center, Majestic Theatre, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House and the Moody Performance Hall. Educational performances specifically designed for young audiences have been seen by more than 1,000,000 students over the past ten years. In 2004, ANMBF was announced as one of the resident companies for the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Even today, in 2019, ANMBF is still the leader in giving students an educational experience.
In 2020, Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico is excited to celebrate 45 years since its founding and continues working to realize Mrs. Anita Martinez's dream.