Afro-Cuban workshop teaches history
Drums pounded through the speakers of the Dennis Small Cultural Center as Neri Torres began to sway her body to the beat. She struck the flats of her feet against the floor and threw her arms up to the rhythm.
Torres, a master’s candidate in dance, led a group of students in an Afro-Cuban dance workshop on Feb. 28. The event was held in celebration of Black Awareness Month.
Most of the students stumbled and stepped offbeat behind Torres. However, Mindy Duster, a 20-year-old junior management major, said she understood the importance of trying.
“The main reason why anyone goes to college is to get an education,” Duster said. “A complete education involves seeing and understanding other cultures. You have to look outside the classroom to have those experiences.”
Providing these experiences is one of the goals of the Dennis Small Cultural Center. While the large room in the UMC is now used by student groups for meetings, rehearsals and other activities, Risa Abarientos, a 20-year-old senior accounting major, said it wasn’t always this way.
“This room was built as a space for underrepresented students on campus during the civil rights movement,” Abarientos said.
Once a place of refuge, the room is now a center for multicultural awareness and learning. Torres told the participants about the history of the dances, explaining the influx of African culture that swept into Cuba because of the slave trade. She said that Cuba was one of the last countries to abolish slavery, explaining the richness of the music and dances.
One popular practice of Afro-Cuban dance in America is the conga line. While it is now a dance associated with weddings, Torres said it originated with slaves in Cuba that would parade in front of their master’s house in a line.
“It was a way of keeping their culture alive,” she said. “It was a culture of resistance.”
Torres herself said she is remembering her roots through her dance. Originally from Cuba, she came to the U.S. in 1991 due to the country’s stifling filter on artistic expression. She said it is important for students to gain an understanding of different cultures.
“America takes a lot of things for granted,” she said. “We aren’t alone. You need to know your neighbors.”
Upcoming events held by the Dennis Small Cultural Center include the fifth annual CU Poetry Slam on Mar. 7 and a break dancing workshop for women on Mar. 12. For a details on these events and a complete listing of others, visit their Web site.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Morgan Keys at morgan.keys@colorado.edu.
