In high school, Marissela Lynch wrote down her dreams of the future. She pictured herself in an office crunching numbers as an accountant in sunny California. Her journey led her away from briefcases and calculators to brightly colored dresses, lively music, and children in her hometown of Portage.
“Nothing in my life is anything like I thought it would be,” Lynch said. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. God's plans were better than mine.”
Lynch is a Business Education teacher who enriches the community with Mexican culture. In 2010, Lynch founded a dance company, Ballet Folklórico Tapatío (BFT), after looking for a dance group for her 2-year-old daughter to join.
When Lynch was a toddler, she danced with Ballet Folklórico Fiesta Mexicana in Lake County. After her family moved to Porter County, dance was no longer an option.
“I could not believe, 30 years later, there was still no ballet folklórico available in Porter County for my daughter, even with the growing hispanic population.”
Lynch worked to solve the problem by offering an after-school club for middle school students and a group of 5-year-olds who practiced in her kitchen. At the time, Lynch did not intend on growing it into a performance group. The community’s positive response to the club proved to Lynch that her idea filled a need.
Due to the public’s reception and her mentor, Mr. Daniel Martinez of Fiesta Mexicana Dance Company of Arizona, Lynch was inspired to grow her company. There are now 30 dancers from all over Northwest Indiana in BFT.
“My mentor has shown me the sky's the limit,” Lynch said. “I think seeing how he did his dance company made me reach higher.”
Martinez supported Lynch and her company in countless ways, including sending some of his dancers to Portage to train her students. According to Lynch, it is important for Martinez to give back to the children and his contributions came free of charge.
Beautiful costumes, music, movement, and tradition are the cornerstones of BFT’s performances. The group hosts an annual event called Fiesta Folklórica, and also performs in nursing homes, charity events, schools, private events, and more. The dancers, ages 5-18, work hard to learn choreography and master up to three dances a year. BFT is culturally diverse and is open to girls and boys.
“I hear so many kids say that they can’t join because they aren’t Mexican and can’t dance,” Lynch said. “That’s not true! You don’t have to be Mexican or know how to dance to join our group.”
Lynch is the dance instructor and organizes everything without being paid. All of the tuition goes toward costumes. For Lynch, the children make her efforts worth it.
“My favorite thing is watching students grow in confidence, or finally getting a dance step down,” Lynch said. “I love seeing joy on their faces.”
Lynch relayed that her success with BFT is due to her husband’s loving support. According to Lynch, he never complains about the demands of running a company, not even when they host traveling dancers in their home. In fact, their anniversary was spent at a folklórico workshop in Arizona, with their daughter and three dancers.
“He doesn't bat an eye as he knows how important this non-profit is to me,” Lynch said.
Lynch’s credits her daughter as the inspiration to start the company. Now, her daughter keeps Lynch’s passion alive, even when the time commitment becomes daunting.
“Sometimes I say ‘I can’t do this anymore I’m too tired’,” Lynch said. “I asked my daughter if i could take a break. She said ‘you can’t quit’ and told me to think about the dancers. She’s right!”
Lynch’s life journey proves that it is never too late to dream a new dream. From adopting her daughter in Guatemala to being introduced to her husband through a student, Lynch feels blessed for life’s surprises.
“I didn’t meet my husband until I was 30 and I didn’t become a mother until I was 38, ” Lynch said. “My life has turned out nothing like I planned, instead it has turned out better!”
Lynch said nothing is more important than family. She would like to thank her parents, who have been married for 65 years, and her sister for their love and support. Her advise to others who are trying to follow their dreams:
“Don’t wait for the perfect time to do something or try something and don’t be afraid of what other people think. Your goals and dreams will change, so if something's not working out for you, let it go. ”