Performers of the Mesilla Valley was born out of a dream to preserve culture, build community, and create opportunities for youth through the arts. What started as a small group of families gathering to celebrate folklórico has now grown into an organization that serves over 70 children and their families each year.

In 2019, our founder Erika Moya, a lifelong dancer, storyteller, and community leader, recognized a need in Las Cruces: affordable and accessible cultural programs for children. She saw that while sports and extracurriculars were plentiful, opportunities to connect to heritage through the arts were limited. With her background in education, performance, and youth empowerment, Erika took the leap to create a space where every child—regardless of income—could dance, learn, and belong.

At first, classes were taught in small community spaces with borrowed costumes and donated time. Parents and volunteers quickly rallied together, and the group blossomed. As word spread, more families joined, bringing their children to not only learn steps and music, but to build confidence, discipline, and pride in their identity.

Performers of the Mesilla Valley soon formalized into a nonprofit organization with a dedicated board of directors who share the same vision: to honor cultural traditions while empowering the next generation. Together, the founders and board members built a structure to keep programs free or low-cost, ensuring financial barriers never kept a child from dancing.

Today, the organization continues to grow—adding new forms of cultural arts, wellness programs, and educational workshops. Our story is still being written, but its foundation will always remain the same: family, culture, and community.