CADERAS Y CAPOEIRAS

What a better way to spend a Saturday than kicking off your shoes and moving those caderas to latin rhythms? This Saturday, members of the community had an opportunity to spend two hours learning moves from two dancers who are a part of the Latin Ballet of Virginia.

Latin Ballet of Virginia is a diverse dance company who charismatically intertwine history, language, storytelling, and dance into a single performance. LBV was founded in Richmond, Virginia around the 1950’s and is a distinguished Hispanic- Latino dance company in central Virginia. PVCC has the unique opportunity of having LBV as a master class  held in the Earl Dickinson building; the same place where Latin Ballet of Virginia will perform on the October 4.

Until the grand show, try to picture this. Students of different ages and different experiences all gathered on the main stage. Two instructors, Lawanda and Roberto, greet them with soft elongated arms, dramatic and poised legs, loose hips, and bare feet teaching the rhythms of Salsa, Mambo, and stepping into the music with a subtle and mild taste of Flamenco dancing. Not only were the bodies in motion, but the minds were at work as folklores were told of the origins of dances learned; the countries ranged from South Africa, to Colombia, and back to Spain.

The dancers presented a demo of the show doing the Capoeira, a dance, originated in Brazil, which mixes martial arts and acrobatics, but with a break (a signal that ends the first rhythm and prompts the next one) in the beat, a fight scene can turn into a dance to cover up tracks.

The performance, as anticipated, was outstanding. A fellow community member spoke on the matter saying, “That was amazing! You have to be part ballet dancer, part gymnast, part salsa dancer, and part actress.”  And yes, it does look easy from the auditorium seats.

Members of the piedmont region should all come and partake in the fiesta Latin Ballet of Virginia has to offer and witness a beautifully articulated performance; we have the privilege to be able to travel the world so close to home through the universal language of music. As for the master class instructors, we give them a bow in honor of their exposure “Gracias a la danza, Gracias a la musica, Gracias a ustedes” and in order to make each experience more personal, Lawanda added a perfect “y gracias para la vida.”