Shana Madrid-Smith, Executive Director and Dance Instructor
Shana Madrid-Smith is the director of Yúmare Mexican Folkloric Dancers Inc. and has been dancing for over 30 years. She started dancing at 7 years old as an early student of Maestro Manuel Garcia and has dedicated her life to dancing and teaching others the art of Folklorico. Shana Madrid-Smith describes herself as an Air Force brat and has spent many years overseas in Spain and Germany plus several years in North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma. While in Germany, she taught many of her peers and performed the traditional dances of Mexico that she learned as a child. Once back in the states, she joined Yumare Mexican Folkloric Dancers as a principal dancer and made her way up the ranks to become the executive director. She has made it her mission to not only direct this dance group, but to also educate students and the community of the diversities of Mexico. Throughout her dance career, she has learned of the history and significance of each dance and feels it is very important to pass on what she has learned to others. She feels through education, tolerance is achieved. She is happily married to her husband, Kevin, for over 20 years and has a dog named Thunder.