On Friday, January 24, SAC and the Bridge Center are teaming up to put on a Latin Dance Night at the Prairie Winds Event Center! The night will include various Latin foods, music, and of course, plenty of dancing. The dance will start at 7pm and be finished by 9pm.
Students may choose whether to dance to the beat of their own drum, similar to the winter formal, or learn a Latin dance from a few of the student instructors that will be there. A few types of Latin Dance include salsa, samba, rumba, merengue, and many more! (For the students who went to the salsa night event in the first semester, this is a good chance to put what you learned into practice!)
For those much needed breaks from dancing, there will be some amazing Trejo’s Tacos, chips and salsa, and Jarritos to eat while listening to music created by artists with a Latino background/heritage. There will be music in both Spanish and English, so all will be able to enjoy and listen to music from a culture they might not be that familiar with!
The main question is “Why go?” For one, this semester has been off to a crazy start and dancing is a good way to relieve stress and have a little fun with some friends! Secondly, it is a good way to learn about Latin Culture. Dancing is an important part of Latin Culture as it explores the diverse cultures included in “Latin America” and is able to tell many different stories through movement, rhythm, and song. Each dance is unique, and by trying out dancing, people are able to experience a slice of Latin American culture.
To go into more depth about a few of the types of Latin dances, one of the more well-known dances is the Salsa. This dance originated in Cuba and is typically a partner dance, but it may have solo aspects as well. It’s very energetic and rhythmic while the Merengue is a slower style of dance. This dance originated in the Dominican Republic and is also usually performed with a partner. For those who enjoy ballroom dancing more, Rumba is essentially a Cuban ballroom dance.
Third and final reason to go is that this event is completely FREE! There is no need to worry about bringing cash for any entrance fee, food, or lessons. Anyone can come to enjoy a night away from the craziness of this semester. Vamos a bailar!
