A performance of Brazilian martial art in the form of a dance Friday night featured a group of four students symbolizing the actions of indigenous Latinos and slaves who sought to overthrow their masters.
Brandon Mauro, an East Asian languages and cultures sophomore, participated in the dance, known as Capoeira, during Latin Explosion, the talent show sponsored by Culturas de las Razas Unidas.
Mauro said the event helped open people’s eyes to Latino culture.
“It’s important so people get more exposure and a better understanding,” he said. “It was a lot of fun. I liked it.”
After their group performance, the Capoeira & Non-Stop Action Crew collaborated to present a mix of hip-hop and break dancing that amazed the crowd.
The event was a showcase of poetry, dancing and singing to a crowd of more than 200 people in honor of Chicano History Month. The show, held at Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre, was Culturas de las Razas Unidas’ largest event of the year. A committee of about 10 students and $4,000 helped put on the show.
Marcelina Treviño-Savala, coordinator for Chicano/Latino Student Affairs in the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs, said students worked hard to present the show.
“I think with the different talents, people would gain an appreciation about our culture and our community,” she said.
The show began with a ballet with five women dressed in colorful skirts with sombreros on their backs. They danced to Latin music while wearing white shoes with laces and colored bows in their hair.
Janet Retto, a human resources junior from New York, presented four poems that discussed such issues as relationships and loss.
“I figured it would be a younger crowd,” she said. “The poems were appropriate for the world of hip-hop, love and the tragedy of Sept. 11 that everyone can deal with.”
Retto said her connections to New York made her “Nine-One-One” poem even more symbolic.
“My mom was supposed to be there (the World Trade Center) that morning and turned her car around,” she said. “That one hit home. Being from New York, music is integrated into everyday life and culture.”
But the event attracted non-Latino students, too.
Candice Twymon, a psychology junior, said she wanted to attend the show after hearing about last year’s Latin Explosion from friends.
“I wanted an outlook of how Latin music is and get a new experience,” she said. “I think it’s important for people to know what other cultures have to offer.”
Natalie Russell, a nursing sophomore, said being in a multicultural sorority, Zeta Sigma Chi, increased her interest in the event.
“I like the dancing, and I went last year and it was really good,” she said. “It’s a good chance to see Latino culture. This is a chance to get to know more about people’s culture informally and have a good time.”
