Martha Zárate-Álvarez has not only tapped into her passion for dance, but also her love of family and Mexican culture.

“Everyone in my family is either a dancer or musician or something in that type of arts,” she said. “I remember going, when I was 5 years old, with my sisters to the dance company from my hometown. I wanted to dance and I start learning. I was the only 5-year-old girl with them.”

Zarate-Alvarez founded the Mazarte Dance Company in 2012. It promotes Mexican culture, heritage and history through dance. There are community performances and dance classes a couple of nights a week and on weekends.

“There are some children living here that came when they were very early age from Mexico, or Latin America in general,” Zárate-Álvarez said. “Or they were born here and sometimes you don’t know your identity.”

“Maybe by passing them the traditions, the experience, the knowledge of the Mexican dance, maybe they can learn something and they can fall in love again. And they can say these are my roots: I feel proud of it,” she added.

Zarate-Alvarez teaches students about how Mexican culture evolved.

“It’s not just movement and dancing, but I also give them the background of what they are doing. Why are you doing this? Why do you wear this hat? Why do you wear this costume?” she said.

Zárate-Álvarez is always in motion, volunteering her time, while also seeking funding for the company. Her love of dance and family keeps her motivated.

“I have sisters that are seven, 12 and 16, and sometimes their mothers also come, because why not,” she said. “Why not come together and have fun as a family, too?”

For preserving the past and creating community, Martha Zárate-Álvarez is our New Yorker of the Week.