Bailadora Brenda

While many girls her age carefully choreograph the latest N*SYNC dance moves in front of their bedroom mirrors, few besides sophomore Brenda Corro have brought their dreams of public performance to life as she has in many venues, including the White House.

Accompanied by a mariachi band and decked out in authentic Mexican folk attire, Corro, along with sophomore Samuel Encarnacion, has wowed crowds including last year's International Show audience.

Defining Mexican folk dancing is difficult, Corro explains, because there are many different styles that originate from various parts of the country. However, Corro likens the art form to some well-known forms of dance. "Most people describe it as tap and flamenco put together," Corro says.

Dora Gonzalez, a Spanish teacher and co-sponsor of Orgullo y Cultura, a Blair club in which both Corro and Encarnacion dance, discovered Corro as a freshman when she came to a club meeting. According to Gonzalez, Corro's exuberant persona matches her dancing flair. "Her personality goes with her style of dancing because she is very outgoing," says Gonzalez.

While Gonzalez has helped to organize the Hispanic portion of the International Show at Blair, she says Corro and Encarnacion have been the driving forces behind the club's onstage success. "Samuel and Brenda were the anchor of the show," says Gonzalez. "Because of [them], the dance portion of our club was created."

Corro's ability to impress audiences with her dancing is due in part to her natural talent, which thrives under the limelight. "Her dancing abilities are innate. She's also very creative," says Gonzalez.
Corro has received a lifetime's worth of praise for her performances. But the New York native has been dancing only for about four years. Corro began dancing in 1998 as a member of De Colores, a Mexican folk dancing company.

After the tutelage of her uncle, Corro moved on to receive instruction from De Colores, where she performed at the White House in 2000 during Hispanic Heritage Month.

While many Blazers are unfamiliar with Corro's style of dance, she explains that it is typical of Mexican American culture and is often accompanied by a live band, composed mainly of guitarists and violinists.

Styles of dance and attire vary from region to region in Mexico. Corro's favorite outfit is a white formal gown adorned with ribbon made in Vera Cruz, Mexico. Corro's other traditional outfits come from Guadalajara and other parts of Mexico.

Often, Corro performs other styles of cultural dance, including flamenco and salsa dancing. And while Corro will continue to impress audiences with her talent, the sophomore's intentions are not purely to achieve fame. "I do Mexican folk dancing to show my culture," says Corro.

While Corro possesses an obvious talent, her dreams extend far beyond bright lights in Maryland. She is very interested in engineering and hopes to study architecture at Columbia University after she graduates from Blair.