Grupo Tarasco, the dance company of the Cook Arts Center, consists of 15 children and young people ranging in age from 6 to 23. They give 50 public performances per year in front of an average audience of 200 people, which means that approximately 10,000 West Michigan residents benefit from Grupo Tarasco's performances. Josie Guillen, founder of Grupo Tarasco, is a paraprofessional with the bilingual department of Grand Rapids Public Schools. She founded the group in 1989 and they have been performing throughout the community for the last 20 years.