The renowned Ballet Folklórico del Rio Grande will perform May 15 in East Moline as part of a regional residency that will also bring dance and cultural programming to more than 3,000 students across the Quad Cities area.
Quad City Arts is continuing the 52nd season of its Visiting Artists Series with a community collaboration featuring Ballet Folklórico del Rio Grande, with tickets now on sale for a May 15 performance in East Moline.
The concert is scheduled for May 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. at United Township High School in East Moline. Tickets are available online.
As part of its residency, Ballet Folklórico del Rio Grande will collaborate with Glenview Middle School, Mariachi de United Township High School and Quad Cities Ballet Folklórico for the performance.
A weeklong residency across the region
Ballet Folklórico del Rio Grande, also known as BFRG, will be in residence from May 10 to May 15. During that time, the group will visit 13 local schools in eight communities, reaching more than 3,000 students while also working closely with local collaborators in preparation for the concert.
Quad City Arts said the residency is part of its long-running effort to connect residents of all ages with high-quality arts experiences through performances, demonstrations, workshops and master classes.
A nationally and internationally recognized folklórico company
BFRG is led by Miguel Peña and is made up of 30 performers, many of them alumni of the collegiate folklórico program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
According to Quad City Arts, UTRGV offers the only folklórico dance major in the United States and serves as a training ground for many of the professional dancers who now perform with the company.
The ensemble has appeared in state, national and international performances and has been featured at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. for four consecutive years.
BFRG has also toured internationally in Canada, France, Italy, Argentina and Mexico, with recent performances in Santiago, Argentina, and Tamaulipas, Mexico. The group has also performed in the United States alongside major artists including Los Tigres del Norte and Aida Cuevas.
Quad City Arts noted that BFRG also partners with Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar for joint performances celebrating Mexican culture, including Día de los Muertos and the Christmas season.
Miguel Peña leads the company
BFRG’s artistic director, Miguel Peña, is originally from Reynosa, Mexico, and is the first tenure-track professor of folklórico dance in the United States.
He leads the folklórico dance major at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and was recognized in 2023 with the Ohtli Award, presented by the Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior.
Ticket options designed to expand access
Quad City Arts said it uses tiered ticket pricing to make live performances more accessible and reduce financial barriers for community members.
Audience members can choose from four ticket levels:
- Angel Tickets ($60), which help support subsidized access
- True Cost Tickets ($40), reflecting the actual cost of producing the performance
- General Admission ($20), a reduced-price option supported by community contributions
- Subsidized Tickets ($10), offered on a trust-based, no-questions-asked basis to support broader access to the arts
Tickets can be purchased here.
A series with deep roots in the Quad Cities
Since 1974, the Visiting Artist Series has brought professional performing artists to the Quad Cities through school and community-based programming.
Quad City Arts said the series continues to focus on enriching lives and expanding access to the arts through partnerships with schools, colleges, early childhood sites and community organizations.
The Visiting Artist Series receives support from a range of local, regional and national funders, including the Scott County Regional Authority, Regional Development Authority, Bechtel Charitable Trust, National Endowment for the Arts, Iowa Arts Council, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Quad Cities Cultural Trust, the Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund, the John J. Quail Fund, the Marsha and Don Pedersen Endowment at the Quad Cities Community Foundation, Rock Island Community Foundation, Rauch Family Foundation I, Kiwanis Club of Davenport and Quad City Arts donors.
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