Wednesday night’s “Latino Rhythm” brought morethan just entertainment. SMU’s chapter of College HispanicAmerican Students sponsored the fourth annual event in theHughes-Trigg Theater showcasing various cultural performances. Thiswas organized to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Emcee Maria Sotolongo, weather anchor and entertainment reporterfor Telemundo 39, greeted the audience in English and Spanish.
Telemundo cameras focused on Jaime Hurtado, the senior”Latino Rhythm” coordinator, who sang a latino-pop songto open the show.
Hurtado has participated in this event since itsestablishment.
“From the very beginning, we’ve always had food,music and involved someone from the community, but it still getsbetter every year,” Hurtado said.
The event offered a blend of cultures and displayed a variety ofdances, including modern ballet, salsa, merengüe and bachata.Anything from a love song by Tejano artist Selena to a gospel songechoed in the theater.
Senior marketing major Krystel Manansala even performed aFilipino dance to a Madonna song.
“It was awesome to see the collaboration of the differenttypes of music from different types of people,” attendee KeoAhmed said.
With a short 10-minute intermission, everyone munched on chips,salsa and ice cream and sipped sodas.
The event ended with the sounds of flamenco rock, a combinationof rock, hip-hop and flamenco, a traditional form of Spanishmusic.
Flamenco rock was played by musical artist Tio, a Tyler, Texasnative who lived in Spain for two years.
While he was there, he grew fond of Spanish culture and learnedto play flamenco.
With his guitar, Tio played with DJ Spiderman and rapper Spookieto present his flamenco-inspired sound.
Once the Hispanic American Adviser Fernando Salazar heard themusic, he wanted to bring that “texture, style, and hip tothe school. … The music is an evolution offlamenco.”
Although the event provided entertainment, SMU alumnus Lois Lydasaw it as a great way to learn and experience a differentculture.
“Latino culture is very rich, and it’s a shame that‘gringos’ [whites] are not involved in it,” Lydasaid.
