The first annual Salsa Festival was brought to Eugene this year by Salseros Dance Company.
Michelle Hyde-Wright, assistant event manager of the festival, was excited about this event because salsa festivals happen all over the world in very big cities, and she was excited to bring it to a smaller culture in Eugene.
Hyde-Wright said, “One thing I really like about salsa is that it is so international.”
The event took place at the Vet’s Club Building and was open from Friday, Feb. 21-Sunday, Feb. 23.
University of Oregon grad student Lois Geertz attended the event and also partakes in several courses through Salseros.
Geertz began dancing as a coping mechanism to handle the stresses of completing her grad degree in violin. For her, salsa dancing is “completely rejuvenating,” and once she begins dancing she “gets drunk on the music.”
Brynn Powell, sophomore at the UO, also attended the salsa event. Both Powell and Geertz enjoy spending their Friday nights dancing the night away and celebrating the culture of salsa dance.
Powell embraces her Latino ethnicity and enjoys the connection she finds intertwining her culture with salsa dance. Powell said she is “connected more to the Latino community through salsa.”
“No matter how tired you are, once you come here you’re suddenly awake again,” Powell said.
This event had performers from all over the West Coast and beyond come to show their salsa skills. Dance companies traveled from California, Washington and Portland.
The event also had several classes for visitors and members of Salseros Dance Company, ranging from beginner’s level to advanced salsa dance.
Jose Cruz, founder of the event, said Saturday night there were people dancing until 2:30 a.m. Cruz said that on Friday nights it is typical for the group to dance until 1 a.m., but to have a group of people dancing so late was very exciting for him.
Cruz said that the festival for him was “exactly what he was expecting,” and his favorite part was “everything. We had excellent workshops all day.”
Cruz plans to have a second-annual Salsa Festival and hopefully many more to come years after.
Salseros Dance Company hosts salsa dances at the vet club every Friday at 9 p.m. Before 9:30 p.m. the charge is $5 for a beginners course, and after 9:30 p.m., the charge raises to $7. There is a DJ that comes at 10 p.m., and the dancing continues all night long.
For university students, Salsa Libre, another salsa dancing class, is offered in Lawrence Hall, room 166, every Wednesday from 7:30-8:30 p.m., and dancing continues until 10 p.m. This event is free for students.