Planting roots: How one dancer brought Mexican heritage to Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE — Like many children growing up in Mexico, Paulo Garcia first discovered dance as a young boy. The rhythms, colors, and stories carried through folklórico soon became part of his identity, shaping not only his childhood but his life’s purpose.

In 2014, Garcia founded Ballet Folklórico Xanharati in his home state of Nayarit, Mexico. He chose the name Xanharati—meaning roots in the Purépecha language—to honor the traditions and ancestry that folklórico represents. What began as a local project to preserve and celebrate Mexican culture grew into a community of dancers committed to keeping history alive through movement.

When Garcia relocated to Milwaukee in June 2020, he brought Xanharati with him. There, he opened his academy of dance, determined to continue his mission in a new