Gail Blizard
Word of the Month: bailar (to dance)
The days are still cool now, but get ready to enjoy the changes as spring starts to arrive soon.
In our January meeting, we were fortunate to have the Los Guerreros dance ensemble from Pueblo High School perform traditional Folklórico dance and music. Folklórico dances are unique to each region and reflect many of the European influences from the colonial period, especially Spain and Germany. Although the melody was Mexican, one could hear the polka rhythm in the dance from the state of Nuevo León. Other regions represented in dance included Colima, Sinaloa, and Guadalajara. The “Jarabe Tapatio”, originating in Guadalajara, is perhaps the most well-known of the indigenous dances. It started as a courtship dance and, as such, was considered too suggestive and was banned by the church for many years. By 1930, the ban was lifted. Today, it is the national dance of México and is taught in many grade schools.
The 15 dancers were a joy to watch. Their enthusiasm in performing for us was greatly appreciated by everyone in attendance.
We enjoyed a bountiful dinner with chicken asada provided by the club, with side dishes and desserts provided by attendees.
Kay Sullivan, club president, announced the club officers for 2020. President: Kay Sullivan; Vice-president: Laurie Colen; Treasurer: Riley Jackson; and Secretary: Elaine Collett.
Kay also thanked Linda Miles for her three years of service as secretary. ¡Grácias!
Our next regular meeting will be Feb. 17th at 5:30 p.m. in the SaddleBrooke One Activity Center. Our program will feature Sharon Cotter speaking about Minga Peru, a non-profit focused on improving the lives of indigenous Amazonians. As usual, we will have a potluck dinner. Please join us!
We are a culture club, not a language club, and are interested in all aspects of Latin American and Spanish culture, including art, music, and customs. Speaking Spanish is not required; however, if you’re interested in improving your Spanish, there are opportunities to do that as well.
The next Spanish-speaking lunch for the season will be on Monday, Feb. 10th at 1 p.m. at Carlota’s in Catalina. Audrey Tarchine ([email protected]) is the coordinator for these lunches. Please let Audrey know by Friday, Feb. 7th if you are planning to attend so that she can make arrangements and confirm the location.
The club meets monthly on the third Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the SaddleBrooke One Activity Center. We generally have a potluck dinner, followed by our program. Our meetings are conducted in English. Come as a guest and try us out!
If you are interested in joining, have any questions, or would like to attend an event on a trial basis, please contact Kay Sullivan (President) at [email protected] or Susan Durchslag (Membership Chair) at [email protected].