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Latin Xplosion displays culture with comedy, dance

April 20, 2014

Hosted by Culturas de las Razas Unidas — a Latino student organization  — the event showcased Latin culture through comedy, dancing, music performances and poetry readings.

Latin Xplosion master of ceremonies and organization member Pablo Lopez said the annual turnout for the event continues to grow.

“Every year it gets better and better, and every year we’re trying to focus on what we can do better,” Lopez said. “It’s such cultural enrichment. What I hope people take away is to be proud of their roots.”

Lopez, a mechanical engineering sophomore , said performers from as far as Chicago attended this year.

Accounting freshman Dachana Blaydes said she attends cultural events because they connect her with people and experiences she otherwise wouldn’t know of.

“That’s the thing about Michigan State University, when they promote diversity you have to take the initiative to take advantage of it,” Blaydes said. “Michigan State can promote it all day long, but it’s the students, as an individual, who have to take the initiative to change their perspectives and stereotypes.”

Along with the performances, participation from the audience established the activities as a communal celebration of Latin culture. Audience members threw out yells of excitement known as “grito Mexicanos,” and other times audience members shouted various words in Spanish to encourage performers.

During a performance by Ann Arbor resident Khris Sanchez , he invited students to come on stage and sing “All of Me” by John Legend with him. One student sang on stage while he beat-boxed and played piano, and it sparked the whole audience into singing along.

Criminal justice junior and lead singer of the band “Tilted A” Enrique Rosas said the Latin influence within the music of his band comes from infusing aspects of Latin music with American rock sounds.

“What gives us our Latin roots is the fact that we’re able to be Latino and perform more assimilated music,” he said. “Here in the United States we can play English music and Spanish music.”

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