Tufts' Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) at Tufts held their annual culture show, entitled "Celebraci??n," in Cohen Auditorium on Friday.
While dances from Latin American countries were the centerpiece of the show, it also featured poetry readings and soap opera renditions. Calls for political activism and social responsibility resonated throughout the show.
The show also featured more traditional aspects of Latin American culture and dance. Some students, like senior Nithya Nathan, drew on their experiences studying abroad to help choreograph dances for the show.
"[My friend] Ana and I took a class on Chilean folkloric dance, and ALAS asked us if we would perform at the show," Nathan said. They performed the "Cueca," a Chilean folk dance, that featured students adorned in traditional clothing and rhythmically waving pa?±uelos, or handkerchiefs.
Student-written renditions of a Spanish soap opera, called "Desobedientes," were dispersed throughout the show, with each act resembling an episode in a series and lightly satirizing some aspects of Latin American culture.
Sophomore Mario Saade enjoyed the soap opera acts.
"I'm Brazilian and the soap opera was my favorite," he said. "It's a big part of Latin American culture."
A theme throughout the show was political action and the rights of immigrants in the United States in particular. In a poetry act called "Voices Of Liberation," three student artists lyrically rapped poetry and encouraged the audience to "make change" in their communities.
In keeping with its immigration theme, the show also included a video produced by Students at Tufts Acting for Immigrant Rights (STAIR) that explored immigrants' role in society and the economy.
Sophomore Janak Kumar said that ALAS succeeded in getting an important message across.
"I'm currently taking Spanish, and I'm really interested in the culture," he said. "I like how they used their culture show as a platform to convey a serious political message. That's what really stood out for me."
Senior Jose Condor agreed.
"I really liked the show," he said. "Many Latin Americans represented their culture as best as they could. I also liked the political message and how it impacts the Latin American community in the United States."
Prior to the show, ALAS invited attendees to enjoy authentic Latin American food, and after the show the group hosted a dance party in Dewick.
ALAS President Nico Ojeda said he was extremely pleased with the night. "It was a success," he said. "I was very happy with the way it went. Everyone who participated put a lot of work in and everything went well."
Participants also enjoyed themselves. Sophomore Jeff Lindsay, the vice-president of Tufts' La Salsa group and one of the performers during the show, said that the experience was rewarding.
"I love to perform," he said. "We put a lot of hard work in the routine. Salsa is a very popular social dance. The moves are very sexy."
