The existence of “Coros y Danzas” dates back to the forties, when the defunct Women's Section, among their various activities, appeared to revitalize the canary folklore, bringing out from oblivion and shaking the dust to old dances and songs that only were deposited in the minds of a few village elders, to keep its primitive purity and flavor.

At that time, two pioneering groups were constituted, at a provincial level,: "Coros y Danzas of the Provincial Delegation" and "Coros y Danzas of the Women's Section of Ingenio". That is why we can consider, without doubt, the current "COROS Y DANZAS DE INGENIO", heir to the last one and, therefore, the birthplace of local folklore.

This group became part of the Ministry of Culture from the Government of the Canary Islands in 1977 and in 1986 was officially established as an association, which brings together many children and young people of both sexes. This nursery of the Group guarantees the future of this beautiful management.

Parallel to this activity, there is the "School of Handcraft", in which numerous attendees exercise in learning many handcraft work, using as raw materials, palm, pita, cane, etc., worthy of being imitated, conserving thus one of the hallmarks of this town of Ingenio. But since its beginning, Coros y Danzas de Ingenio tried to lead all their efforts towards achieving two very important goals in the rich field of folklore:

1. To rescue beautiful pieces of old folklore from oblivion and incorporate them to no less beautiful dances and songs that traditionally have reached our days.

2. To make everybody know, through actions in different geographical areas, the charming, sweetness and majesty that are in every one of the pieces of their dense repertoire.

Regarding the rescue of archaic dances and songs, this was as an important work as tiring. This arduous and commendable work was amply rewarded by recovering aspects of ancestral tradition of our people, crystallized in dance-songs such as “Isa de la Paría", "Polka del Capotín", "Polka del Artesano", "Sorondongo de Ingenio" and "Rancho de Animas". Unless the hard work with tenacity and enthusiasm displayed by the band members, these unique pieces would have lost and they wouldn’t have been part of the canary folklore with all the purity and fidelity which they were rescued.

In relation to the dissemination of its traditional repertoire, countless performances of the group “Coros y Danzas de Ingenio” have not been reduced to relatively short territorial space of the village in which it is situated, it has intervened in several provincial and national contests, where they have been awarded, more than once, as first prizes, also carrying the suggestive message from its rhythmic rhythms and joy of her beautiful songs to remote parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and America.

In short, its more relevant merits are performances on the islands of the archipelago, as well as in the Peninsula and abroad, which are summarized below:

• In 1965, Third prize in the Provincial Contest of Dance, celebrated in San Telmo’s Park in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

• In 1968, we went to the Universal Exhibition HEMIFAIR 68 in San Antonio, Texas (U.S.A.)

• First prize in the provincial phase of Popular Song Contest in Pueblo Canario in 1968, with the “Rancho de Ánimas”, award that gave us the chance to take part, once again, in the national phase, celebrated in Feria del Campo, Madrid. We also took part in the program of RTVE “Caminos y Canciones” there.

• That same year they went to the Autumn Festivities in El Aaiun (Sáhara).

• First prize in the Dance Provincial Contest in April, 1969, celebrated in the Theatre Pérez Galdós, with the song “Isa de la Paría” and they took part in the National phase in Palacio de Deportes of Madrid.

• First prize in the Dance Provincial Contest in April, 1972, celebrated in the Theatre Pérez Galdós, with the song “Polka del Capotín” and in June they took part in the National phase in Theatre of la Zarzuela in Madrid.

• In December 1974, we travel to Germany to visit many cities such as Munich, Nüremberg and Wuzzburgo.

• In January 1977, we travelled to Finland, supported by the Tourism Patronage of the Council of Gran Canaria and invited by the Finnish travel agent Aurinkítmatkat and the flying company Finnair, visiting Helsinlki and Pori.

• In January 1982, we won the second prize in the National TV contest "Destino al éxito" of TVE.

• Performance in Casa de Campo in the Gran Canaria Airport because of the arrival of 210 Italian cadets to our island and the launching of a new Iberia’s plane, as well as the presence of important military commanders of the Spanish Army.

• In 1985, we travelled to France, invited by “Circle Guityaristique Dnile de France”, directed by our civilian Blas Sánchez, in which there were some conferences dedicated to the Canary Islands.

• In 1986, Welcome to the Kings of Spain in Tenerife.

• From the 5^th to the 12^th of October, 1991, we travelled to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), visiting the Ukrainian Republic (Kiev), Saint Petersburg or Leningrad, Moscow. Coros y Danzas was the first Spanish group that performed in the Red Square of Moscow.

• In September, 1992, we travelled to the Universal Exhibition of Seville, invited by the Government of Canarias.

• In 1993, we travelled to Madeira, for a Canary Gastronomy Week, invited by the Tourism Patronage of the Gran Canaria Council. We also travelled to Norway to perform in the festivity of Saint Olav in Throndheim. And finally we visited Bremen (Germany), because of the inauguration of a boat of a German shipping.

• In 1995, we presented our disc “Haciendo Historia” in the Cultural Centre of Villa de Ingenio.

• We were invited by the Spanish Cultural Ministry to perform in the Expo of Lisboa 98.

• The 24^th of April, 1999, we were distinguished by the “Orden del Cachorro Canario” with the “Cachorro de Honor” because of our trajectory and defense of Canary traditions.

• From the 19^th to the 21^st of June, 1999, tour around the Peninsula and performance in the Canary Home in Madrid. At our returning, we were distinguished with the Silver Roque Nublo by the Excellency Gran Canaria Council.

• In 2000, we took part in the Festival GANNAT and tour around France.

• In 2001, Official welcome to the President of China in Gran Canaria.

• In 2002, we represented Spain in the International Folklore Festival of the festivity of Santa Lucía in Monterrey, México.

• Welcome to the passengers of the “Queen Mary II” in its scale in Gran Canaria.

• In 2004, we visited New Orleans, Saint Bernard and Baton Rouge (Louissiana) Miami, Houston and Florida.

• In 2005, our children’s group took part in the Folklore Festival in Badajoz.

• In 2006, our children’s group moved to Orense in order to take part in the festival of the city.

• In 2007, we went to Belgium to participate in the Festival of Oostrosebeque. On the other side, we participated in “Festidanza” in Arequipa, Perú, and in the official opening of the Culture House of Casablanca in Chile. And also, the welcome of the Spanish National Football Team in Gran Canaria.

• In 2008 Coros y Danzas began the organization of the 1^st REGIONAL MEETING OF CHILDREN SOLOISTS “Memorial Aurorita Cruz Vega”.

• In 2008, travel to Azores, invited by the Tourism Patronage of the Gran Canaria Council.

• The same year we took part in the 3^rd Global Social Forum of Migration in Rivas (Madrid) with a talk about the history of the International Folklore Festival.

• In 2008, Official welcome to the Survivors of Hirosima and Nagasaki in their visit to Ingenio.

• The 11^th of February, 2009, welcome to a group of engineers of the NASA (U.S.A.) who were invited by the Spanish Defense Ministry.

• In July, 2009, we took part in the International Festival of Segovia. And in September, in the International Festival of the City of Lorca, Murcia.

• 2010, nomination of María Candelaria Luisa Artiles Ramírez, co-founder of Coros y Danzas de Ingenio, as Favorite Daughter of Ingenio”.

• In 2010 travel to Nepal to participate in the International Festival of the Cultural Group Everest, visiting places such as Katmandú, Pókara, Surket, Palpa or Butwal.

• In 2012, travel to South Korea, invited by the Spanish Cultural Ministry, to take part in FOLKLORIADA 2012.

• In 2013, we took part in the II FESTIJAMMU in Dakar, Senegal.

Besides:

• The Local Council of la Villa de Ingenio, thanking the great work of dissemination of our folklore inside and outside of our municipality, named a street as “Coros y Danzas de Ingenio”.

• Since 1992, every 25^th of December, Christmas Day, we organized the Christmas Carol Recital in the church of La Candelaria of Ingenio.

• Since 1996 and, under a initiative of Coros y Danzas, the council of the village of Ingenio has organized the International Folklore Festival “Muestra de los Pueblos”, that gathers every year important groups that comes from different parts of the world.

• Also since 1997, a Dance of Taifa is realized in the month of January, in which we try to recall the old customs and celebrations.

• It is also important the participation and recording in several program in TVE-C, such as “Navidades al Sur de Europa” or “Tenderete; “Bodega de Julián”; as well as an special program recorded by the German National Television in Finca de Osorio (Teror).

Among the distinctions awarded to Coros y Danzas de Ingenio, we can emphasize the “Roque Nublo de Plata” by the Council of Gran Canaria, as well as the honors of the Vatican, the Government of Canarias, the Spanish Royal House, the Norwegian Royal House, President of China.

The Government of Canarias, according to the resolution number 378 of the 4^th of June, 2014, declared the International Folklore Festival of la Villa de Ingenio "Muestra Solidaria de los Pueblos" as a Festivity of Touristic and Cultural Interest.

The University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, declared last year the Ethnographic Conferences organized every year as an Ethnographic and Folklore Campus of Canarias, becoming the preface of the International Folklore Festival of la Villa de Ingenio "Muestra Solidaria de los Pueblos"

Coros y Danzas de Ingenio, a group of traditions that celebrated 65 years of uninterrupted work in 2014, is more than a group, it’s an Institution.

Honorary President: Aurora Cruz Vega. President: David Castellano González