¡Bienvenidos!


Welcome to the website for Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo. Palo Santo is a group of dancers and musicians in the Pioneer Valley region of Western Massachusetts that is dedicated to the study, performance and teaching of Afro-Cuban folkloric dance and music.


Our activities are currently focused on two areas. We offer an ongoing, open class in Afro-Cuban Folkloric Dance which has been running continuously since September 2006. We also have a performance group which made its debut in August 2006, and has continued creating and performing new repertoire in the years since then.


Bookmark our website and check back often to find out about new projects and upcoming events as our program continues to develop.

On Tuesday July 5 the Pioneer Valley Cuba Solidarity Committee and the Traprock Center for Peace & Justice will be welcoming the Pastors for Peace Cuba Caravan as it passes through our region. Pastors for Peace travels in a caravan throughout the US to collect medical supplies and other things that are difficult for Cuba to obtain because of the US embargo; and then delivers this humanitarian aid to Cuba in direct defiance of the embargo.


The event will include Cuban refreshments, speakers from the Caravan, and local performing artists. Headlining the entertainment will be Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo, performing Afro-Cuban folkloric music and dance.

Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo receives NEFA Accreditation

Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo has been accepted into the New England Foundation for the Arts’  New England States Touring (NEST) program. Our inclusion in this program makes it possible for non-profit presenters outside of our home state of MA to be reimbursed for up to 50% of our performance fee. This will open up many more opportunities for Grupo Palo Santo to perform and teach throughout the New England region in a way that is affordable to non-profit organizations during these cash-strapped times. 


The documentation that the group needed for a strong application was gathered over a period of several months during this past year. We are all very gratified that NEFA has approved our application and designated Palo Santo as a group that is eligible for NEST funding. This credential is an important milestone in the artistic and organizational development of our relatively young group.


You can check out our MatchBook.org profile (which is already updated with our new NEST credential) at http://www.matchbook.org/ArtistProfile1.aspx?ProfileId=2863.


Not-for-profit presenters can find information about the NEST program and other funding opportunities at http://www.matchbook.org/fundingsources.aspx.

Feature Article in the Daily Hampshire Gazette

On Wednesday April 29 the Daily Hampshire Gazette published a feature article about Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo and the Afro-Cuban folkloric dance class. The article was published both in the daily newspaper and on the Gazette’s website. The website also featured a video that was made during the research for this article. That video is now available on the Video Page of our own website as well.



Afro-Cuban Folkloric Dance Class

Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo offers ongoing classes in Afro-Cuban folkloric dance every Tuesday at 8:00 PM in Northampton, MA. Visit our Dance Class page for more information about the class and directions to the dance studio.

The Caravana Cubana event will take place at the Greenfield Energy Park on Miles Street in downtown Greenfield MA from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. In case of inclement weather the event will be held in the parish hall of the Second Congregationalist Church at 6 Court Square, Greenfield, MA.


Come support an important cause that is near and dear to our hearts; dine on tasty Cuban snacks,and enjoy Afro-Cuban music and dance by Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo.

News & Announcements


Caravana Cubana con Grupo Folklórico Palo Santo

For more information:

http://www.ifconews.org/node/758

http://www.cubawesternmass.com/events.html

http://www.cubawesternmass.com/caravan.html