Ruth Torres is the Arts Integration Specialist for Local District South in Los Angeles Unified School District. She oversees the arts professional development of generalists and arts teachers for over 140 schools grades K – 12. Ruth was a classroom teacher for five years and an itinerant dance teacher for ten years throughout LAUSD elementary schools branch. During her time as a dance teacher she founded a Family Dance program at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in El Sereno, California. The program’s goal was to build community and bring parents and families to the school site.  Ruth is originally from Sinaloa, Mexico where dancing was part of the school curriculum and the culture of the community.  She joined the state performing arts school DIFOCUR and danced throughout Mexico and Europe for fourteen years bringing the dances of Mexico to other countries. Ruth also danced for Oscar Chavez at the Escuela de Arte Jose Limon in Culiacan. She has researched the dances, music and traditions of the Mayo-Yoreme indigenous group in Sinaloa and other ethnic groups of Mexico. Ruth strongly believes that dance is the most powerful form of expression and connection to the self, to others and to the world and that it should be an integral part of the curriculum in every child’s education. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications, a Master of Arts in Education, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a Dance and Spanish Teaching Credential, and Administrative Services Credential. She has taken workshops in dance and movement therapy, creative dance, authentic movement and Bartenieff Fundamentals.

LEADERSHIP GOAL: to develop the skills needed to pursue district support for initiating a dance program for students, parents and their families that is provided through the school district because there is a need to create community at the school sites.