Salsa, with its ambiguous rhythm and spicy connotations, is coming to One Green World Cafe.
The International Student Office, in conjunction with the Activities Programming Board, will host a “Salsa Night” there from 8-10 p.m. on Thursday.
All Gannon University students, faculty and staff are invited to enjoy DJ-provided music. Attire is open, but attendees are encouraged to dress the part.
Chris Vilevac, associate director of the ISO’s Global Visitor Program, is putting on the event. He sees it as a fun opportunity for the Gannon community to celebrate diversity.
“We hope that students will wish to learn more about the Latin culture, as well as knowing about the people, traditions and customs of North America, South America and the Caribbean, as well as the rest of the world,” Vilevac said.
He said he also hopes that students feel inspired to study abroad.
Mark Azzarello and Vanessa Cherry, freshmen communication arts majors, are excited to attend.
Cherry, recognizing the goal of Salsa Night, said, “I’m looking forward to going because I love learning about different customs and people.”
“I don’t really know that much about Latin American culture, so this will be a fun way to get introduced,” Azzarello added.
The word “salsa,” which literally means “sauce” in Spanish, specifically refers to a musical genre developed during the 1960s by Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants to New York City. Since then, it has gained mainstream popularity ranging from moderate in America to extreme farther south.
Although more highly favored in Latin America, salsa continues to provide entertainment throughout the United States, as displayed by the crossover success of Cuban-American singers such as Gloria Estefan and Marc Anthony.
Just days prior to Gannon’s own Salsa Night, “Dancing With the Stars” featured similar Latin dances.
Thursday’s event is part of Gannon’s observance of International Education Week.
IEW, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, aims to promote the benefits of international exchange. Schools, colleges and universities as well as embassies, businesses and other organizations participate each year.
