Happy Hispanic Heritage Month from DE!

From September 15th to October 15th, people across the country commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and recognize the unique cultures and history of our Hispanic and Latino communities. Dance is an essential component of many Latino cultures, and it is as diverse as the individuals who participate in it. Each culture has a unique set of techniques and influences that contribute to a stunning mosaic of dance. At Dance Expressions, we love to celebrate diversity in both our classroom and community. 

Throughout the year, we embrace diversity by incorporating various influences into our curriculum. For instance, we might incorporate parts of the Limon Technique into our Modern lessons. This technique was created by Jose Limon, a Mexico-born dancer and choreographer. Our teachers also enjoy using music from all around the world as the background for our lessons. Ms. Angelika, one of our teachers, enjoys incorporating Spanish-language music into her classes.  "There's nothing better than a good salsa, merengue, or plena song if you're looking for something to challenge the student's rhythm," she says. The range of rhythmic and melodic structures in Hispanic and Latino music genres offers dancers and choreographers endless creative opportunities. 

This month, we invited some of our National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA) students to investigate notable dances, dancers, and dance companies from Hispanic and Latino history and culture, and then make a slide for our Instagram. This project allows our dancers to discover and recognize Hispanic and Latino pioneers who have made an impact in the dance world. We believe that exposing our students to dance in this critical and historical context will pique their interest and enhance the comprehensiveness of their dance education.

If you have a child who is curious and loves to move, we welcome them to try out a dance class at DE. There are still spots available in several of our classes, and registration is still open!