UTSC Gets Latin Fever

Hello fellow readers! I know my post usually comes during the week, but I was recovering from LATIN FEVER. The source of this fever is none other than The Latin American Student Association (LASA for short). LASA is a new student club that has really taken this year by storm with a level of passion and dedication that I myself have not seen from a new club since I was a freshman. With an ever-growing list of members and successful events LASA is a top contender for the “Best new club” award.

Most recently LASA hosted a Latin themed Pub Night at Rex’s Den this past Thursday, Nov. 3^rd and I not only had the opportunity to be there but also DJ the event! – Yes I have other skills besides blogging and being awesome (haha). Despite being tied to the DJ booth (which was in a different room) all night, I did manage to find time (usually between songs) to walk amongst the crowd to get a feel of the night. The first thing that stood out to me about the crowd was its diversity and the size. I was very pleased to see that LASA had actually hit capacity for Rex’s Den with more people waiting to get in. It was interesting to see people from all walks of life in the crowd all there to enjoy Latin culture.

The night started at 9pm with Salsa dance lessons taught by none other than Miguel “The Artist” Pinzon who also teaches a hip-hop class in the gym. At first there were about 40 students ready to learn how to salsa and by about half way through the 1 hour lesson the group had swelled to approximately 60-70 students. It was actually a joy to see such a mass of students all dancing salsa in unison – In hindsight I wish I had taken a video. It was quite refreshing to see students enjoying themselves without the focus being alcohol. I was glad that many students took an interest in the salsa lessons because I didn’t want an empty dance floor if I played Latin dance music.

The majority of the crowd trickled in after 10pm, after the lessons were over, and that’s when the real party began. I saw many students grabbing some food and drinks while others hit the dance floor. At first selecting songs to play was a challenge because I couldn’t see the crowd’s reactions but with help from the Miguel who acted as MC it got easier as the night progressed. For those who attended the Pub-night I apologize for the shoddy music at the beginning. :P

A highlight of the night was a dance performance by none other than acclaimed UTSC Latin dance instructor Danny Perez & his beautiful partner Laura. They lit the dance floor on fire with their performance as well as ignited a round of Salsa and Merengue.

Despite being separated from the crowd for most of the night, I was no stranger to the heat of the night. At the night ended, I could see people leaving drenched in sweat but with huge smiles on their faces – a sign of a good night. Over all I believe the night was a huge success and the members of LASA should be proud of themselves. I challenge all clubs to put forth an effort to engage a range of students like LASA has.

If you never been to a LASA event or if you enjoyed the Pub Night and want more information about LASA and their events check out their Facebook page by clicking here. I also believe that is where the photos from the Pub Night will be. If you attended the Pub Night or any other LASA event, tell me about your experience there in the comment section below. Remember to follow me @malcolmwong1 on Twitter and subscribe to the blog!