future. Similarly, Altagracia Azios Garcia has been integral in shaping dancers through the years.
For her dedication to the art of dance, Laredo College honored Azios Garcia by naming an award after her to be handed to those following in the dance steps of the renowned dancer. The honor was given during the FlamencoFest’s Yjastros performance on Friday, Aug. 2.
“This has been a beautiful gift for my 90th birthday, and I’m very glad to see the progress that has come to dance,” she said. “Flamenco and the dances of Spain have always been my favorite. To see these dancers do so well…I enjoyed and have been impressed with everything I’ve seen.”
LC’s festival kept the spirit throughout the week by bringing more dance to Laredo and the lives of new generations of dance students. Azios Garcia visited one of the advanced workshops to watch local dancers learn from Illeana Gomez, a dancer visiting from Madrid who she has known since she was a little girl.
Through the FlamencoFest, LC strove to bring together the community and the highly talented American Flamenco Repertory Company Yjastros. The electricity felt throughout the festival, from trained dancers, newly inducted dancers or audience members, was a result of years of practice and love for the art by each individual.
“This has been the most wonderful experience of my old age. I am 90 years old, and I did teach dancing, but it has come a long way,” Azios Garcia said. “I was very impressed with all the students.”
As the founder and owner of Altagracia Azios Garcia Dance Studio, she helped shape the skills of different generations of dancers. In 1967, she organized and directed the Laredo Civic Spanish Ballet and later the Laredo Ballet Infantil Mexicano for girls under the age of 12.
She studied around the world, including in Mexico, New York and Spain, with numerous instructors like Carmela Burgander, Esperanza de la Barrera, Jose Torres y Fernandez and Carmen Amaya, which eventually spurred her to teach others.
In recent years, Azios Garcia’s former students gathered to perform at the LC Shoebox Theater. This fantastic show saw LC President Dr. Minita Ramírez and LC Board Member Erica Benavides Garcia perform a castanet performance alongside their childhood troupe.
She told the Laredo Morning Times that she shed tears watching them perform side by side. From the early years to now, the love for dance and music bestowed by Azios Garcia on her students remains in their hearts as they remain in hers.
Azios Garcia said that dancing is not just a profession but a dream. She never thought of anything but dance and teaching dance since she was 16. Words were scarce but her message to any dancer, young and old, new or seasoned, was to never stop dancing and keep following your dreams.
“I taught for 60 years; I still love it. It is the only thing in this world that has ever been of interest to me besides my family. This has been a beautiful experience for me and a beautiful gift,” Azios Garcia said of all the dancers she taught and seen perform.
Amid the performances and dancers seen throughout the years, it is clear that Laredo has a strong affinity for the art of music and baile. Therefore, Laredo College continues to invite the community to bring their ambitions to the wonderful instructors and programs that will help take them to new heights.
Whether it takes one instructor or one class, LC and Azios Garcia’s goal remains the same; to empower anyone to dance toward their future.
“I always did what I wanted to do. To teach dance, I always tried to do my best, and I’ve seen dance come so far. It’s beautiful even more so now,” she concluded.
