People of San Miguel: Francois Yohalem: A life dedicated to art and dance

By Natalie Taylor

Francois Yohalem has been living in San Miguel de Allende for twelve years and certainly has not been idle. She was born in a little town in the Dordogne Valley in France, but soon embarked on a life that took her far from her birth town. She went to London, then to Washington, D.C., where she found a position with the French Embassy, married and settled down. She then returned to university to study art, and earned a Master’s degree in studio painting.

Working at an art gallery, she developed connections with many artists. Through her professional qualifications, she landed an important position: she was tasked with choosing art for public spaces in Washington. She did not simply watch and judge the art of others; she also painted and had several exhibitions of her own work.

But there was another passion waiting within her. Francois always loved dance, but that part of her life, however, needed a different time and a different place to come to full fruition. Sometime around 2010, a friend mentioned San Miguel de Allende and described it as a wonderful community of artists. Intrigued, she came for a visit.

As happens to many, the city’s promise was surpassed by the reality on that first visit. She loved the city and saw it as a place where she could live the rest of her life. In 2014 she moved here permanently. And it was here that her lifelong love of dance finally bloomed.

She met Gloria Navarette, who was teaching yoga at the Sindicato, and they very quickly struck up a friendship. Yet there was another side to Gloria that was an especially delightful discovery—she was a dancer and the founder of the Ballet Folklorico of San Miguel. Francois began attending the rehearsals simply to watch. Struck by the beauty of the dance, the magnificent, elaborate costumes, and the history of the dance itself, she was soon a regular at rehearsals and performances. Francoise learned that the costumes are numerous and very expensive to make. Each dance represents a certain region, and each of those requires a particular costume representing that part of México. She also found out that the performers received no financial support from the city.

She began supporting them financially herself but then decided to do something larger, to create an organization that could raise funds. In 2021 she started the Amigos del Ballet Folklórico and began to actively campaign for donations. This effort has positioned her as the liaison between the dancers, the locals, and the foreign community and has provided funding over the years. In 2021, Fracoise was honored by the city as one of the Guardianes de la Cultura—Guardians of Culture. It was the first time that such an award was given to a foreigner. This year Amigos del Ballet Folklórico became an A.C., a designation that makes it a legitimate, nonprofit organization. Aside from her support of the Ballet Folklorico, Francoise has been dancing for many years. When asked if she ever attempted the folkloric dances of México, she said she found them much too difficult. Instead, she has concentrated on dancing Argentine tango, which she loves. The Ballet Folklorico de San Miguel, however, is her primary focus, and she dedicates her time to promoting and finding funds for the dance troupe. There are now about fifty dancers in four categories: children, teens, young adults, and adults. Amigos has been helping pay for rehearsal space, shoes, and outfits when a family could not afford them. They also help pay for visiting maestros and choreographers.

The Ballet Folklórico has regular shows throughout the year: La Candelaria in early February, their anniversary in July or August, the Fiestas Patronales in September, Día de Muertos in late October or early November, and a festive Christmas event in December. If you have not had the opportunity to watch these dancers, you need to see them and appreciate one of the loveliest traditions of México—the unique regional, folk dances. The one in September is just around the corner!

Check out their schedule and lend a helping hand to keep this beautiful tradition going. The information and means to donate are on their website: amigosballetfolksma.com

Natalie Taylor is a bilingual published writer, editor, journalist, translator and a regular columnist at Atención News

www.natalietaylor.org