This was my last rose scholars event. I generally do not go to concerts/performances like this but when my friend invited me to go see her salsa dance troupe, I couldn’t say no. Coming from a Hispanic background myself, I have been listening to Salsa for as long as I have been here in existence. They were absolutely amazing and might have convinced me to try out for the troupe next semester. I actually found out this was a rose scholar event after I purchased a ticket. On the walk there, I also got to meet other Scholars and it was a great mingling opportunity as well. I am so satisfied with what the rose scholars have provided me with this semester and I am looking forward to next semesters activities!

This concert was set right after I got back from Thanksgiving Break, and to be honest, this is when the “Thanksgiving Slump” hit pretty hard for me–especially since this event was on a weekend at night. Initially, as I was climbing the icy Libe Slope and making my way to Bailey, I wasn’t too hyped or excited for this performance at all. Yet, now looking back, I can proudly say that I am so glad I pushed myself to attend the Sabor concert. I would even say that this was probably one of the highlights of my week back from Thanksgiving break! I had previously attended the Diya Jale concert a month back, and it was so interesting to see how the different Latino and Indian cultures can be translated in such beautifully different ways when it comes to the realm of dance. The different styles and nuances of each choreographed dance reflect something so intrinsic about the culture itself. Additionally, all of the beautiful outfits that the students wore shimmered and glistened under the bright stage lights. I also think the MCs did a great job at keeping the audience entertained and laughing the entire time throughout the entire show. All in all, I really admire all of the students who performed on the stage, and it was so visible how much energy and passion each student has for dance, music, and performing arts. I definitely will be going to the Sabor Latino’s 28th Annual concert next time, and I will be asking more of my friends who haven’t been to the show yet to come and join me!

        Over the past weekend, I had the privilege of attending Sabor Latino’s 27th Annual Dance Showcase, entitled “Hollywood Night.” I was thrilled to see the show, as I had heard great things about Sabor before (mostly because of a friend who is a member of the group) and had very much enjoyed Bachata music in the past — although only casually — when my friends would play it as we were cooking or doing work together. “Hollywood Night” started off a bit slow, with a long introduction filled with Snapchat videos and pictures of the team rehearsing and bonding, as if showing the audience the hard work that they had put into perfecting their dances. However, when the dancing started, it spoke for itself. Each song was expertly choreographed, accented by intricate flips and spins and rapid movement around the stage. There was never a dull moment during the performance (…except perhaps during the long breaks between songs where the MCs would crack jokes about the dance group or other topics, but I won’t go into that here) and I appreciated how Sabor gave other dance teams a platform to share their dances as well. Afrobeats, Teszia, and the Caribbean Island Fusion groups all had the audience spellbound throughout their entire performances, and the entire auditorium erupted in applause at the end of each of their numbers. While I had not been to many dance performances before “Hollywood Night” — and did not expect to enjoy the concert as much as I did — I plan to check out many more dance groups’ showcases in the future.

I am not usually one to go see school performances but the one was amazing. I love bachata music so much so to see people be actually able to dance it was everything. I went to the Sabor Latino’s Concert this year to support my friend Frank as this would be his first time performing both with the group and at Cornell. I was so proud of him. Below are some videos I took from the amazing show.

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I attended the Sabor Latino’s 27th Annual concert, which I found to be a truly enriching cultural experience. I grew up spending my Monday nights watching Dancing with the Stars. My favorite performances by the stars were always the ones that drew at your heart strings and left you wanting more. I was always fascinated with dance and wished that I could do the same things as things dancers. Sabor Latino reminded me of the beauty in dancing and how it is able to emotionally connect with you. Every culture has some form of dance that has connected people for generations, which I was reminded of at the Sabor Latino concert. The fact that dancing uses no words, but it still able to convey a story that draws the same emotions that every movie does. However, the problems with movies is that they have a plot that provides you with the characters journey’s that you are supposed to follow. This leaves little for the imagination and serves as pure entertainment. However, dancing provides people the ability to develop their own stories and integrate their daily life in these stories. It resurfaces emotions in us that we have had buried under the surface and asks us to be a part of the dancer’s journey. This makes watching dance far more personal and connects with the audience more that a movie ever could. This is why dancing has entertained humans for generations and has been at the center of bringing people together, encouraging freedom of expression through various genres of style. It is not just the styles displayed in the Sabor Latino concert that people can connect with, but even the dancing we do in our rooms when no one is watching or when we are with friends.