Taking over the college stage

Deirdre Newman

OCC CAMPUS -- Sounds of Latin music sizzled on the college campus

Friday as the Fiesta Latina dancers gave two vibrant performances in

honor of Cinco de Mayo.

The show covered the various manifestations of Latin dance, including

the danza, a colonial Puerto Rican dance; the cumbia, a Colombian dance

in which the dancers twirl with floating candles on their heads; and the

samba.

One highlight of the show featured students from Wilson Elementary

School shimmying to the beat of the mambo. The students were included as

part of OCC’s Service Learning Program, a community outreach program.

Fiesta Latina director Jose Costas treated the young dancers as

professionals throughout the performance process.

“Through dance, these kids learn about following directions,

discipline and working hard for a goal,” Costas said.

Wilson Elementary School was recommended by the Service Learning

Program because the population there is 90% Latino, Costas said.

The students who sparkled onstage in their bright blue costumes

covered in sequins went through two grueling rounds of auditions. Nearly

100 fourth- and fifth-graders showed up for the first round of auditions

and only 25 made it to the final performances.

Costas and three OCC students have rehearsed with the students for the

past eight weeks. While Costas is taking the whole show to the Wilson

campus in the future, he said it was important for the students to

perform at OCC.

“I wanted to bring them here to a college where I hope they’ll come,”

Costas said.

Fifth-grader Rony Argueta, 11, said he auditioned because “I like to

dance and I think I’m a good dancer.”

Teacher Carol Redford said she has seen the student dancers blossom

from the experience.

“This whole program has been so exciting to see them from the

beginning to now, to see their growth,” Redford said.

Kimberly Montenegro, 11, was one who overcame her fears of performing

to mambo onstage.

“At first, it felt scary,” Kimberly said. “Then I got the hang of it.”