Creating Magic Through the Arts 

For Think Together students across Southern California, the arts are more than an afterschool activity; it’s a pathway to confidence and creativity. A unique way Think Together and Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) have showcased how that vision comes to life is through the magic of ballet folklórico at Disney California Adventure.

Think Together and OCSA invited school leaders and educators, both current and prospective partners, to a special evening to witness the wonder of Disney’s Coco Storyteller live performance at Plaza de la Familia in the park. Many of the dancers who bring the Coco performance to life every evening are the same arts instructors who teach ballet folklórico to Think Together students through the partnership with OCSA.

For Melina Marin, a lead Think Together arts instructor by day and a folklórico dancer at Disney California Adventure by night, helping ignite students’ passion for the arts is her top role.

“It fuels and excites me to see students light up when they really start to find their rhythm and groove!” Marin said. “Every school that I’ve been to, there are obviously different personalities, but the passion remains the same. Science, math, and all those other subjects are important and will always be constant, but the arts really do help you gain a sense of identity.”

OCSA works with the Orange County dance company Relámpago del Cielo to bring highly trained instructors in subjects such as ballet folklórico and mariachi to Think Together students across Southern California. Marlene Peña-Marin, artistic director for Relámpago del Cielo Grupo Folklórico and director of OCSA’s Ballet Folklórico Dance Conservatory, highlights how crucial arts programming is, especially during the afterschool time.

“The biggest gift you can give any young student is a tool to express themselves, to find their voice, and connect them to their culture,” said Peña-Marin. “I believe that the partnership between Think Together and OCSA is going to be up and down the state of California, without a doubt! We’re going to bring this to a level of instruction that is untouchable.”

For many young students, access to high-quality arts at no cost is something they never thought was possible, but with Think Together and OCSA’s growing partnership, over 3,000 Southern California TK-8th grade students have achieved the impossible. For arts instructor Jacqueline Macias, she was once that young student who didn’t know arts education was an option. Now as a ballet folklórico instructor and a Disney Coco dancer, she is proud to unlock that passion within her students and help mold them through a new form of learning.

Together, Think Together and OCSA are inspiring the next generation of artists whether through ballet folklórico, mariachi, culinary arts, media and film, or other creative disciplines yet to come. Through its partnership, both organizations look forward to collaborating with more school districts to expand access to high-quality arts education that empowers students to dream big and express themselves with confidence.

While math and science build knowledge, the arts build creativity and heart. Today’s Think Together students may be tomorrow’s performers on a grand stage like Disney’s, bringing exciting stories to life.

To learn more about Think Together’s partnership with OCSA or about other dynamic Think Together accelerator program offerings, please explore the links below!