Editor’s note: Last week, this story was published with false information. As the events editor, it is my responsibility to make sure all information in the section is true. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused anyone. Corrections have been made in order to rectify the situation. The Mass Media strives to bring the UMass Boston community with the best and most up-to-date information for happenings on campus. Thank you for your continued support. [WF]
Un Pueblo Unido, a festival of Hispanic cultural song and dance, was hosted by Casa Latina on March 23 and included performances by many UMB students, as well as a few visiting guests from nearby schools.
Kicking off the event emcees Chris Lomax and Felipe Reyes welcomed the crowd and performed some skits with the event’s organizer, Abel Cano. The show’s purpose was to highlight the beauties of being Latino, while debunking the myths that many people hold about this ethnicity.
The acts included poetry, modern and traditional dance performances, belly dancing and music performances, including Berklee College’s Sharin Toribio and Casa Latina’s coordinator Abel Cano. Popular Latino food was served during the intermission.
One of the more striking performances was by the dance troupe Bajucol, clad in red and yellow Columbian skirts and suits on the makeshift dance floor. In a surprising interruption from this traditional dance, a modestly dressed group hit the actual stage with what seemed like a Stone Age ritual dance. This act featured a young member who shook what he got and got the people going.
A highlight of the night was the belly dancing performance, including UMass Boston student Leilah Feinstein.
Angela Spignese and Wellington Palma, both UMass Boston students, took the stage with their exotic salsa dancing afterwards. Another salsa group named SambaVida wowed the crowd with color and pizzazz exploding from their costumes, since they were basically bikinis with peacock feathers. The pair invited the crowd to join them, and soon the majority of the audience hit the floor, including USG presidential nominee Gary Uter and running mate Ignacio Chaparro.
Overall a stunning success, Un Pueblo Unido has accomplished its Latino-empowering message, and left the audience hungry for more as they danced the night away to music selected by DJ Mozes.
