Google honors Amalia Hernandez, Mexican dance legend, with doodle

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Have you peeped Google today? It's all about Amalia Hernandez, a renowned Mexican choreographer.

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The search engine site, which sometimes uses its homepage to honor prominent figures, is highlighting the pioneer on what would have been her 100th birthday.

Born in Mexico City in 1917, she was raised by a prominent family. While her father was involved in the military and politics, her mother had an interest in the arts, which is how she grew to love dance.

By age 17, she enrolled at the National School of Dance. She would later teach and choreograph as an instructor at the Fine Arts National Institute.

Over time, she created her own unique dance style, combining modern movement with traditional Mexican folk dances. Her style became known as the baile folklorico.

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Hernandez continued to make her mark on the culture, founding the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, a celebrated ballet ensemble, in 1952. Beginning with just eight dancers, her group eventually grew to more than 300,000.

The troupe went on to perform for more than 22 million people worldwide, making appearances on television and touring across the world.

Hernandez worked closely with the company until her death in 2000 at age 83. She has since been recognized as an ambassador of Mexican culture, and now Google is honoring her legacy.

Check out the doodle archive to see Hernandez's animated doodle.

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