March 4, 2009

Today I went t the SALA (Students Associated for Latin America) at 7:00. I met with the student president, Melissa Perez, before hand to talk about my research project a little bit. She was late because she had to pick up plates and cups for the club’s potluck. Melissa is extremely confident and outgoing. She dances salsa herself, at home and competitively. She competed in high school and has taken lessons from instructors such as Eduardo Dias at Vista Ballroom, whom she says is the best teacher she’s ever had. She doesn’t compete anymore because she didn’t like the politics surrounding it, but she still dances at places like Salsa Cabana and Hush here in Columbia. Melissa is a senior Management Science major in the business school. Her biggest thing about salsa is that in the Latin American culture, EVERYONE dances. They dance at family celebrations, in the car, at parties, everywhere! It’s just a way of expressing passion and emotions. She said that in her culture, dance is a stress reliever. Instead of vegging out in front of the TV after work, a lot of Hispanics dance.
Oh, and I have been confused about the difference between Latino and Hispanic, so I looked it up.

The word "Hispanic" is a bit more universal than "Chicano." Historically, areas conquered by the Spaniards were considered part of a region originally called Hispania. Modern countries which can trace their history to Spain are now considered to be Hispanic, and include Mexico, Central America, and most of South America where Spanish is the primary language. The only exception to this Hispanic designation is Brazil, which was settled by Portugal, not Spain. Any citizen of those countries originally colonized by Spain can be considered Hispanic. People from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and other areas south of the American border would all be considered Hispanic.

"Latino" is very close in meaning to Hispanic, but it also includes other countries such as Brazil. The regional description "Latin America" now refers to the countries where Romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese) are spoken, but was originally used by Napoleon to describe other Romance speaking (French included) territories throughout the Americas. To be described as a Latino is not considered derogatory, although it can be construed as a generic for all Hispanic cultures, much like referring to a Korean or Japanese-American as "Asian." While "Latino" may be politically and socially correct, it may more culturally sensitive to learn a person's specific heritage and refer to him or her as "Nicaraguan" or "Guatemalan" rather than the broader "Latino."
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-latino-chicano-and-hispanic.htm
So, “latino” means people who are from countries that speak Spanish or Portuguese in South America and “Hispanic” means people who are from countries that were colonized by Spain.

Back to the SALA meeting:
She also suggested the movie “Dance with Me” with Vanessa Williams. I’m going to watch it over break. I was talking with her about the Mad Frog in Cincinnati, and she said Boston has amazing salsa clubs and even salsa “congresses.” A congress is…

Q: What is a "Salsa congress"?
It's basically a big Salsa dance party! They happen pretty much all over the world these days and typically involve an invited assortment of well known dancers and performers, also from around the world. Usually congresses are at a hotel function hall or some other ballroom-type facility, and last for several days. During the daytimes there are workshops and seminars as well as vendors who feature dance videos, clothing, shoes, etc. At night there are dance parties, performances, often live music, and basically non-stop dancing. The great thing about congresses is the energy that develops when you have so many great dancers in one place. If you love Salsa and have never been to one, it will be a great new experience.

A lot of the club members came in late but almost everyone brought food for the potluck. There was Argentinean desert, quesadillas, other Hispanic foods, and then your typical brownies, cookies, etc. The club was so much fun! Everyone seems to get along and be friends. They were joking, laughing, playing pranks on each other, and just having a good time. At the end of the club meeting the played “Name That Capitol” to give away $5 gift certificates to the restaurant San Jose. It was so embarrassing that I knew none of them! I looked up all the countries and their capitals:

Chile – Santiago
Argentina – Buenos Aires
Uruguay – Montevideo
Paraguay – Ascuncion
Bolivia – Sucre
Brazil – Brasilia
Colombia – Bogota
Ecuador – Quito
Islas Malvinas – Stanley
French Guiana – Cayenne
Guyana – Georgetown
Peru – Lima
Suriname – Paramaribo
Venezuela – Caracas

Central America:
Belize – Balmopan
Guatemala – Guatemale
El Salvador – San Salvador
Honduras – Teguciagalpa
Nicaragua – Managua
Costa Rica – San Jose
Panama – Panama

I spoke with a girl named Criseida who went to Dreher high school. It turns out she’s really good friends with my ex-boyfriend’s freshman year suitemates. We talked all about them and the crazy things they’ve done, but then I got on the topic of the big turnout for SALA. She said last year almost no one came, but the new exec board has really changed things. She said they actively seek out people who would be interested and that each board member revolves a lot of their life around SALA. So, enthusiasm and action seem to be what makes a program work. The people in the group range from just learning English to English as their first language, and almost every country is represented. As the PR person for SALA, Criseida said a lot of work goes into recruiting, and once the group established its reputation it was easy to gain more members.

Upcoming events include seeing the documentary about Che at the Nickelodeon on Wednesday March 18th, an international day in which the group will present a 2-3 minute skit, and Relay for Life.