Suffolk’s Pasión Latina created an afternoon of celebration, culture and high energy at their annual showcase “Ritmo y Brillo” Saturday April 11. The show was a culmination of the group’s hard work this school year.
Pasión Latina is a performing arts group consisting of about 18 members, which is more than in previous years. They dance a variety of genres including bachata, salsa and kizomba, aiming to celebrate Latin culture through dance. Anyone is welcome to join regardless of skill level or ethnicity. Vice President Victor Cruz-Castro described the group as very beginner-friendly.
“We teach everybody everything from the basics to how to hold people when you’re in a couple dance,” said Cruz-Castro.
They dance a number of shows throughout the showcase, whether at Suffolk or at other locations in the greater Boston area, but “Ritmo y Brillo” was their big end-of-semester performance. The show, hosted by SGA Secretary Stephanie Lima and Nicole Henninger, also featured guest performers from Suffolk University Dance Company, W!CKED, Soulfully Versed, University of Connecticut’s Baile and Tufts University’s Encendido.
“We’re grateful because most schools in Boston have their own Latin dance teams, so there’s a bunch of different options to have,” said Cruz-Castro, describing how Pasión Latina chooses which groups to invite.
“Ritmo y Brillo” alternated between dance numbers performed by Pasión Latina and the guest groups. Some dances were done in pairs, while others featured all members. Soulfully Versed also added a music set to the dance-focused showcase.
Mikayla Coulanges, a student at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, came to the show to support her sister, who is a member of Soulfully Versed.
“I thought it was a lot of fun, very high energy, very exciting. I thought the music was good. I thought the dancing was good. Everything was great, it was the perfect way to spend a beautiful Saturday,” said Coulanges.
She also really enjoyed W!CKED’s performance, stating that she enjoys hip-hop style dancing herself.
Preparing for this showcase garnered a lot of effort from the hosting group. Cruz-Castro said Pasión Latina had 16 hours of rehearsals in the week leading up to the event. Ensuring adequate practice time was essential to achieving the precision the group strives for, especially because they learn a new set of dances each semester.
President Karianna Tabarez said the day of the big show was the most stressful, but it paid off after seeing the audience enjoy it. Cruz-Castro emphasized this point, saying the audience’s reactions are very helpful to performers on stage.
“The best part is watching the people that are taking the videos, smiling … reactions like that kind of help you know it was worth it,” said Cruz-Castro.
Audience members at “Ritmo y Brillo” made it clear that they were having fun throughout the entire performance. Modern Theatre was filled with high-energy reactions during every dance number.
As a graduating senior, Tabarez said her final Pasión Latina show was bittersweet, but she knows the club will be in good hands with Cruz-Castro assuming her role as President.
“I feel comfortable in leaving, just a little sad … this is my family. But I’ll be back to visit and see how they’re doing,” said Tabarez.
Cruz-Castro even hinted at Tabarez returning to host next year’s showcase.
Both Cruz-Castro and Tabarez emphasized how open Pasión Latina is to the entire Suffolk community.
Cruz-Castro said anyone could message him or other group members on social media with any questions. Everyone in the group is very friendly.
“We welcome everyone. Come see us perform, come to our workshops, come to anything. If you see us on campus, say hi. We’re always open to chat,” said Tabarez.
