who i am

first and foremost, my name is karen marbella :) i have been a “folklorico girly” for fourteen years!

i am a first-generation college graduate with two degrees (psychology & chicana/o studies), attained at the university of california in davis! (with honors)

i am currently, the ceo, the content creator, the product developer, the head of communication, the seamstress, and the everything in between, of mirandabella studio de arte

my inspiration

dance to me was my first true passion. el ballet folklorico mexicano became my favorite way to express my joy and love for my heritage. it became my art therapy during difficult times, it developed my artistry, my leadership skills, and recently, it inspired my small business.

dancing ballet folklorico and now making both folklorico vestuario and accessories truly brings me genuine joy.

that joy alone, is my inspiration.

how it all started

i needed a new coping mechanism for my anxiety.

after dancing for 12 years, pursuing academic excellence for 8 years, and one very long year of leading multiple student organizations and programs (including the ucdavis folklorico troupe, danzantes del alma as the student instructor) i took a necessary break.

a few months later, i took my moms sewing machine out of storage, found fabric scraps, and began to experiment.

because i could never really leave dance behind, i took on the challenge of trying to make a folklorico skirt… i filmed the long, at times frustrating, but overall surprisingly therapeutical process, and shared it on social media. to my genuine surprise, i received a lot of support and encouragement.

of course, i took some time, a lot actually, to practice my skills. but it’s finally time to make my dreams happen.

mirandabella studio de arte is my new found method of bringing joy to others, my small effort to preserve el ballet folklorico mexicano, a hopeful means to empower individuals to express themselves authentically, to embrace their culture and their joy.