UB brings Latino culture to students Community

Union Board and several campus Latino groups sponsored "Sin Fronteras," or "Without Boundaries," Friday night at the IMU gallery. The free event attracted students and non-students alike.\n"This is our chance to give alcohol-free entertainment. We meant to give a variety of Latino entertainments tonight," said Mzilikazi Kone, UB vice president of membership and organizer.\nThe evening started with sit-down entertainment for the audience before turning into a party for all of the participants. \nCoffee and desserts were served during the first portion of the evening. A trio of musicians -- Isaac Salazar on keyboards, Alfonso Ramon on acoustic guitar and Nythia Rivera on vocals -- started off the night with what Ramon described as traditional "soft Latin American music." The group also featured senior music major Cristina Velazquez on a few songs.\nFollowing the music was Ruben Gonzalez's one man play, "Diary of a Mad Mexican," which featured the actor's expression of complex social commentary on the treatment of Mexican Americans through a host of characters. \nNext came Ballet Folklorica, a four-woman dance using choreography closer to traditional Latino dance than Western ballet. The dancers wore white blouses and long elaborate red skirts that twirled while they spun wildly.\n"This dance represents the Mexican folklore well," said dancer Maria Lopez. \nThe upbeat salsa came later with Proyecto Herencia, or Heritage Project, which featured Nythia Rivera on percussion. There were also DJs spinning salsa music before the band got started and between sets. Chips, salsa and soft drinks were served during the second half of the evening, while dancers enjoyed the multitude of elements of Latino culture through the rest of the night. \nJunior Sarah-Daisy Dygert said it was great to have such an event on campus. \n"It was really nice to have this in town. I usually have to go Indianapolis to dance salsa," she said.\nEvent co-sponsors included La Unidad Latina, Latinos Unidos, the Latino Graduate Student Organization, Lambda Upsilon Lambda, Gamma Phi Omega and Sigma Lambda Gamma. \n-- Contact staff writer Benjames Derrick at bderrick@indiana.edu.