A Taste of Spain at Columbus

by Oscar Pinto

The group of Columbus and Carrollton students posing with their partners and the flamenco teachers. (Photo Credit: Mrs. Alonso)

Columbus has hosted a salsa mixer with seniors from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy for the past few years. These types of mixers have drawn strong attendance from the senior class and have been in high demand.

Although this year there was a little bit of a switch-up, the Student Activities Committee decided to try something different: a mixer, but this time with Carollton School of the Sacred Heart, another Catholic all-girls school in Miami.

“For the past few years, we’ve had a salsa mixer with Lourdes Academy, and it’s gone absolutely amazing," said Mrs. Alonso, Student Activities Moderator and World Languages Department Leader. "We’ve also had a flamenco group come out to perform and even give a quick lesson to our students. It’s been fun, but I figured, hey, let’s change it up a little bit. The boys had been asking for more activities with Carrollton, so I thought it would be a great idea to incorporate them this year."

The group of participating students learning flamenco. (Video Credit: Mrs. Alonso)

Putting It Together

When organizing the event, steps had to be taken so the seniors could enjoy most of it. In previous years, Columbus has had a flamenco team perform for them at the school, so this year they had to find a bigger team that could teach the students how to dance flamenco.

“We’ve been using a particular team to perform for us for the past few years, recommended by Mrs. Nadia Kahn-Roberts. Since we had a bigger group this year, she added someone to play the guitar as well. We worked together to plan the event: a short introduction to flamenco, a performance, and then an interactive lesson where the students could dance with their partners," Mrs. Alonso said.

Not only was there a class being taught, but the SAC office also catered paella from D’Paella to really incorporate the Spanish theme.

The Environment

Students say it was fun, and it was a social environment where everyone felt included, and everyone had a good time. Just like the Salsa mixer, it's an environment that no one should miss, Mrs. Alonso added.

“The atmosphere was fun, engaging, and very social. It was definitely a good time for everyone who was there," she said.

Students waiting for the paella lunch. (Photo Credit: Mrs. Alonso)

Student Perspective

For students, it was a memorable and unique experience that they will never forget. It was a fun time combining with friends and making new friends from Columbus and Carrollton

"Learning to dance flamenco was a very fun experience, especially because I was with my friends from Columbus and Carrollton. Even meeting some people I didn’t know while we ate lunch was a great time," said senior Lucas Batalla.

By blending food, music, and dance, the mixer gave students a cultural experience alongside an opportunity to connect with one another.

Do you want more events with schools like Lourdes and Carrollton?

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