Salsa beats reverberated in the Stamp Student Union as students lined up in two rows according to leaders and followers preparing to show off their skills – or complete lack thereof.
About 20 students took advantage of a free Salsa lesson Monday night as part of the Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority Inc.’s RAICES (Roots) Week. Though the event is being celebrated by the sorority’s chapters nationwide, the local chapter invited instructor Earl Rush and his assistant Christine Yacoub from Stuck on Salsa to teach students basic steps for salsa dancing, said senior Karol Esejo, president of the university’s Sigma Lambda Upsilon chapter.
For some participants, it was their first time learning how to salsa dance.
“It was harder than I expected,” said second year business graduate student Eduardo Vargas. “I thought I knew how to dance, but I didn’t compared to [the instructor].”
Rush and Yacoub had students line up by leaders and followers to learn the basic steps along with several “shines,” which are individual moves, Rush said. Rush was energetic and frequently encouraged some of the hesitant students.
“This is fun!” Rush said. “This is no test. You can’t fail.”
Rush had each pair demonstrate their moves in the middle of a large circle, and he responded with an excited “Yeah!” after each performance.
Besides learning new salsa moves, several students appreciated the unity that they felt while participating in the class.
“I think they should do this next year,” freshman Sasha Farley said. “It brought different types of people together.”
In addition to receiving free salsa dancing lessons, members of the class were given refreshments. But in fitting with the theme: “Knowledge, Prevention, Action: Ensuring Healthy Latina Lives,” participants were asked to make a donation of $2 to the American Diabetes Association.
Sigma Lambda Upsilon also produced a handout that cited diabetes as one of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. for Hispanic and Latino populations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It promoted a healthy diet and exercise to reduce health problems.
“I think everyone enjoyed themselves,” said Iris Ferrufino, senior sociology major and treasurer of the sorority. “The instructors are great. They make you feel comfortable.”
Despite the initial awkward steps, by the end of the class, the only complaint from several participants was that there wouldn’t be additional classes.
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