About
Los Cenzontles Academy offers classes in guitar, singing, accordion, dance, arts and crafts, cooking, and music. Children take part in folk arts and crafts as part of the program’s activities. Los Cenzontles Academy is a nonprofit cultural arts academy, a band, a production studio, and a community space for youth and families.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Founded in 1989, Los Cenzontles Academy invites children to learn music, dance, folk arts and crafts and to play an essential role in maintaining living traditions. The organization works as a community space for youth and families, working together to amplify Mexican roots in the Bay Area and beyond. Los Cenzontles is recognized around the world for its tremendous positive impact. Its band is composed of Academy alumni and has performed across the United States, Mexico, Cuba, the UK, and the Dominican Republic. Los Cenzontles has pioneered revivals of Mexican roots music in California, and students are invited to perform with the band on stage and to participate in production projects.
Parents, students, alumni, artists, and media have shared testimonials about Los Cenzontles Academy. One parent stated that Los Cenzontles helped her daughter develop her talent as a dancer and deepen her connection to her Mexican roots, calling it “a priceless resource for our youth and the community as a whole.” The New York Times described Los Cenzontles as a group that “both honors and upends traditional Mexican music, tapping deep roots as it flowers into something completely new, and distinctly American.” An alumnus described Los Cenzontles as “a sanctuary for people of all ages and nationalities” that “encompasses the rich Mexican culture through music and dance.” A student described Los Cenzontles as a second home. Linda Ronstadt described Los Cenzontles as “the best community-based arts program I have ever seen.”
Last updated May 13, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Founded in 1989, Los Cenzontles Academy invites children to learn music, dance, folk arts and crafts and to play an essential role in maintaining living traditions. The organization works as a community space for youth and families, working together to amplify Mexican roots in the Bay Area and beyond. Los Cenzontles is recognized around the world for its tremendous positive impact. Its band is composed of Academy alumni and has performed across the United States, Mexico, Cuba, the UK, and the Dominican Republic. Los Cenzontles has pioneered revivals of Mexican roots music in California, and students are invited to perform with the band on stage and to participate in production projects.
Parents, students, alumni, artists, and media have shared testimonials about Los Cenzontles Academy. One parent stated that Los Cenzontles helped her daughter develop her talent as a dancer and deepen her connection to her Mexican roots, calling it “a priceless resource for our youth and the community as a whole.” The New York Times described Los Cenzontles as a group that “both honors and upends traditional Mexican music, tapping deep roots as it flowers into something completely new, and distinctly American.” An alumnus described Los Cenzontles as “a sanctuary for people of all ages and nationalities” that “encompasses the rich Mexican culture through music and dance.” A student described Los Cenzontles as a second home. Linda Ronstadt described Los Cenzontles as “the best community-based arts program I have ever seen.”
Last updated May 13, 2026.
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