Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

Ali Luciani, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor

On Wednesday, the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) hosted a pop-up dance class in Richards Gym, featuring Latin styles of dance and music. The class was open to everyone, regardless of previous dance experience. According to sophomore and NDEO co-president Alyssa Cruz, some of the dance styles incorporated into the class included salsa, bachata and merengue. Cruz collaborated with sophomore Mary Angel Castillo to choreograph and instruct the class. Together, Cruz and Castillo led attendees in warm-ups, technique exercises, and a short, choreographed dance.

Cruz shared how her Puerto Rican heritage and connection with her family contributed to her love of dance. 

“We like to express ourselves, and we’re always dancing somehow,” Cruz said. “At any moment my grandma or my aunts or my uncles would always show us how they would dance back in their day. And so, I’ve always known about that kind of style of dancing.”

Lecturer of Dance Sara Pecina is the faculty advisor for Berry’s chapter of NDEO, which she started in 2022. According to Pecina, one goal of the pop-up class was to help people experience Hispanic and Latino culture through dance and movement. 

“It’s that kinesthetic connection to the heritage,” Pecina said. “It’s experiencing it in your own body and then sharing that joy within the practice of the culture.” 

Since the class was meant for beginners, there was no pressure for attendees to have perfected any dance moves beforehand. This approach emphasizes that dance is more about self-expression and enjoyment than it is about technique. By removing the pressure to be perfect, NDEO encouraged participants to focus on the fun of the cultural experience.

“It’s all about being able to feel comfortable in your body and just literally moving it,” Cruz said. “It’s not about ‘Am I doing this right? Is this technically right?’ Cause nothing is really technically right. You can do it however you want.”

According to junior and NDEO co-president Kara Spears, the pop-up dance classes don’t include any complicated dance moves, and there are members of the Berry College Dance Company present, ready to answer any questions one     may have.

NDEO’s goal is to make dance inclusive and accessible to anyone from the community, regardless of their experience level. Through events like this pop-up class, students and faculty are exposed to dance as a form of social connection and cultural appreciation.

“It’s not just for dancers, and I think a lot of people don’t realize that,” Spears said. “It’s to spread awareness about how dance can be impactful.”  

Dance has long been used as a way for individuals to express their emotions and is a great way for someone to reconnect with their body. 

“It  definitely  makes you very aware of your body because there is so much coordination between what the feet are doing and what the hips are doing and then what the arms are doing,” Pecina said. “It takes a lot of coordination while also experiencing the joy of the expression.” 

Overall, the Latin pop-up event was successful in creating an inclusive, educational and multicultural environment. Through the guidance of Cruz, Castillo, Spears, and Pecina, students of all experience levels were able to explore different Latin dance styles, develop body awareness and celebrate Hispanic culture through movement. 

NDEO has hosted many fun events since first starting at Berry, including a ‘50s Sock Hop, a beginner ballet class and a beginner hip hop class. View their Instagram page @berry_ndeo to keep up with all of their upcoming events and dance classes.