The red and blue lit Eastern Michigan University Grand Ballroom dance floor was never empty Thursday as many celebrated the conclusion of Latino Heritage Month with Salsa Night.
With live music provided by Ozzie Rivera and Orquestra La Inspiración students and others danced together, dressed in style from suits and dresses to jeans and tennis shoes. To kick off the night beginners were given a quick introduction to Salsa dancing by Laura Geldys.
“I think what draws people to salsa dancing is the music, high energy and the friendly atmosphere,” Geldys said. “I actually got involved with salsa totally by chance. I was at the movies with my best friend and I heard salsa music playing at this restaurant attached to the theater. I wasn’t allowed to go in because I was 17 and you had to be 21to enter so I said I was just looking for my parents. I was let in and started dancing with everyone and my dad was actually there.”
Like Geldys, many passing by were drawn to the event by its dazzling live music while some were quick to approach the dimly lit chips, salsa, punchbowls and vegetable platters. Others saw the opportunity to dance and jumped at it.
“I think many perceive salsa as a very sexy art,” EMU student Katherine Bender said. “Salsa music is quite catchy and incites movement even in the most clumsy of people; the prospect of moving creatively, rhythmically in a group is enjoyable to many.”
The fantastic night of constant music and dance was hosted by the Center for Multicultural Affairs, Latino Student Association and the School Health Promotion & Human Performance. The CMA is dedicated to planning and implementing educational and cultural programs to improve the campus climate and community.
LSAThe CMA and LSA also work to provide a secure and supportive learning environment for African American, Latino/Hispanic American, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Arab American and other students.
Dressed in brilliant red and solid black, Orquestra La Inspiración wowed the crowd with energetic horns, bass guitar, piano, bongos, drums, and trio of male and female vocalists.
“Live music affords such a unique dynamic to recorded music,” Bender said. “It is not so terrible to stop dancing and be a wallflower for a while at a dance with live music, for if nothing else, it is an opportunity to appreciate the showmanship and skills of the musicians. The visual component of the musicians playing is a dance in and of itself, and there’s such a different quality to the air, to the dynamic of human interaction through the medium of music, with live music, I am ill-equipped to properly acknowledge just how wonderful it is to have a talented orchestra drive the dance.”
Those in attendance danced all night even during the live band’s intermission.
“This is the fifth annual salsa night and this was the first year we got a live band,” Builes said. “Every year we usually have a DJ in room 300 of the Student Center so this is really big for us this year.”
The night ended in a circle of dedicated dancers taking turns showing off their moves in the center of the dance floor. Latino and otherwise, the crowd celebrated the cultural art of salsa dancing and pushed the 10 p.m. end time further into the night.
“While at the event, I enjoyed watching the veteran dancers,” said Bender. “Each couple was unique in their styles, yet each pairing worked together to produce undeniably aesthetic movement. It was also enjoyable to move to the beat myself, to truly receive the music and let my movements be inspired by the sights and sounds all around. The event in the student center provided relatively safe setting to experiment in dance.”
