Salsa, merengue, bachata, bomba, cueca, cumbia, tango and capoeira are only some of the music and dances native to Latin America and the Caribbean.

If you have ever wanted to learn how to dance one of them, or if you have ever just wanted to see what they are about, here at Ohio State there are many Latin@ dance organizations that teach these beautiful and diverse expressions of the Latin@ culture of dancing. Discover them and decide whether there is one you would like to join and support.


Club Tropical

Club Tropical dancers performing salsa at a recent event.

Club Tropical was established three years ago out of the love of dancing and teaching salsa. One of the club’s goals is to engage Hispanic/Latin@ students and the larger community in learning and performing tropical dances.

The purpose of the organization is to promote Latin@ culture by dancing tropical rhythms from Latin America and the Caribbean and to provide a venue for cultural interaction between the university community and the outside community.

The organization has now grown and is becoming more popular among students at Ohio State. “At first we thought that the organization was going to appeal mainly to Latin@s, but after some time we found out that non-Latin@s are very interested in dancing salsa,“ said Víctor Mora, co-advisor of the organization.

During the school year, Club Tropical offers beginners and advanced salsa lessons at the Ohio Union basement, taught by great teachers and experienced dancers, who share their love of Latin@ dancing with students and the community. The main goal is to get people to dance at different levels of expertise, and to promote the music and dance.

The next step for the organization is to develop an annual dance that goes beyond the weekly lessons. This year the organization is planning on having its first annual event on April 28 with a live band and DJ and lots of dancing, of course, at the Ohio Union.
For more information about Club Tropical, contact Víctor Mora at mora.1@osu.edu.


Folclor Hispano
http://folclor.org.ohio-state.edu

Traditional folkloric dresses by Folclor Hispano performers.

The purpose of the members of Folclor Hispano is to learn and perform traditional folkloric dances of Spanish-speaking countries. Through dance, members have an opportunity to experience and share with the community the vibrant folkloric expressions of these countries.

Folclor Hispano’s members come from the university and Columbus community and are of different ages, professions and backgrounds, with a shared passion in Hispanic culture. Folclor Hispano has expanded to include dances from Spain, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Argentina in addition to dances from Mexico. Performances have included several Ohio State functions, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, and a performance at Crew Stadium celebrating contributions made by Hispanics in the Columbus area.

“Folclor is a great group because we always have new people coming from different countries, who add their unique experience to the group and are willing to teach traditional dances of their nations,” says Carla Onorato, co-advisor of the organization.

Membership in the organization is open to anyone with the desire to dance who can attend the practice sessions and commit to participate in the group’s activities for the academic year. Although new members are welcomed throughout the year, they are encouraged to start in autumn quarter, when rehearsal begins for their annual performance in Noche de Ronda.


TangoOSU
http://tango.osu.edu

Students practicing tango with the instructors of TangoOSU.

Most cities in the world have tango communities, and in Columbus that community is lead by TangoOSU. However, because this community is still in its infancy, members of this organization are working to encourage more participation in their dances and their classes.

TangoOSU is a student organization whose purpose is to promote the quality instruction and practice of Argentinian tango and to serve the tango needs of central Ohio. The organization was established in autumn 2004 by a group of people who love to dance, learn and teach the tango.

The teachers of the tango group are very talented and professional people. For example, Francesco Guerra, who teaches at all levels, is spectacular. His deep understanding of the structure and art of tango along with his ability to communicate this knowledge make him a highly sought after and respected teacher.

Currently there are classes four days a week, ranging from new beginners to intermediate levels. Every so often, the organization plans to have a Milonga,which is a word that means an Argentinian tango party.

People interested in taking tango lessons should realize that tango is a complex dance that takes a long time to learn. One of the problems that the organization faces is that people often don’t realize that there is a lot of effort involved and that they can’t learn to be good at tango in one or two classes. Dancing tango takes determination and passion.

If you are planning on taking tango lessons, you do not need to come to class with a partner because class members usually change partners often while practicing lessons. But if you’d feel more comfortable doing so, you can definitely bring a partner.


Tribo Afro-Bahiana de Capoeira Angola Tradicional (T.A.B.C.A.T.) Columbus
http://www.tabcatcolumbus.org/

Members of T.A.B.C.A.T. Columbus playing capoeira Angola.

Ed Luna, the creator of T.A.B.C.A.T. Columbus, says: “Capoeira is capoeira; you begin to understand it by getting involved in it. Capoeira is often described with words such as game, dance, or self defense, or as an innocent pastime performed by slaves and their descendants and anyone else who wanted to learn. It is considered more of a social dance than martial arts.”

The Columbus group of T.A.B.C.A.T. is based at Ohio State, where it has been registered as an official student organization since 2003. It is also the first capoeira Angola group established in central Ohio.

The primary purpose of the group is to pass on the teachings of traditional capoeira Angola to its members as it is played in Bahia today. Its secondary purpose is to promote the overall recognition and understanding of capoeira Angola and Afro-Bahian culture in the local and university communities. It is open to all students and members of the central Ohio community.

When “playing” capoeira, you have to be aware of what your partner is doing and be prepared to answer. Since it is a conversation through dance, sometimes the conversation can flow easily, but sometimes you will not understand what the other person is trying to tell you.

People interested in joining the organization should expect to play the rhythmic music that connects to the dance. Capoeira Angola is very relaxing and very exciting at the same time.