Hip-shaking students and upbeat Latin music filled the Gold Rooms of the OC on Sept. 28 for OU’s second annual Salsa Night.

More than 100 students gathered to eat Hispanic foods and learn traditional salsa dance moves instructed by professional dancers.

Celebrating with Salsa

The Hispanic American Leadership Organization planned the event in honor of Hispanic Celebration Month, also known as National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

HALO president Oscar Sanchez Vasquez, junior chemical engineering major, said he organized the first Salsa Night event last March to raise student awareness of the org – and because he “just loves dancing Salsa.”

“I thought, ‘Why not have a Salsa Night’,” he said. “We can get instructors to teach students how to dance.”

This year, Sanchez said he wanted to host another Salsa Night to participate in OU’s Hispanic Celebration Month festivities.

“It was a great way to make us a part of the events and help promote our organization,” he said.

Shaking it out

World champion Salsa dancer Elaine Marrero and her dance partner Carlos Polanco were contacted to teach at last year’s event by a client of Troy Dance Studio, where Marrero is a dance instructor.

The two returned this year to teach basic salsa dance moves.

Marrero, who is originally from Puerto Rico, said she was excited to see such a diverse group of students “just getting together and having some fun.”

Sophomore Spanish major Andrew Montoro, vice president of OU’s Spanish Club, attended the event and said everyone seemed to be having a great time.

“I loved Salsa Night last year, and even more students are here this time,” he said.

According to Marrero, she and Polanco would love to return for the next Salsa Night.

“We would be happy to come back as long as we keep getting invited,” she said.

Bringing students together

According to Spanish Club president Alana Hartley, junior Spanish major, the goal of both HALO and the Spanish Club is to give a voice to the Hispanic identity on campus.

“We want people to know about Hispanic culture,” she said. “That’s why we have things that incorporate learning about the culture into fun events.”

Sanchez explained that through groups like HALO, segregation within the Hispanic community at OU can be lessened.

“There are a lot of Hispanics here, and we want to be a kind of open house to them,” he said.

Hartley agreed and said she has seen HALO “bringing OU’s Hispanic students together.”

More Salsa

According to Vasquez, more events like Salsa Night are being planned for the future, with the hope of engaging more OU students in Hispanic culture.

“It’s how most Latin-American people are,” he explained. “We try to open our arms to everyone.”

For a calendar of events and more information, visit www.oakland.edu/hcm or call the Center for Multicultural Initiatives at 248-370-4404.