African rhythms and drum beats could be heard through the halls of Sullivant Hall on chilly winter Saturdays. In commemoration of Black History Month and as part of the outreach efforts of the Center for Latin American Studies, CLAS organized, in collaboration with the Department of Dance, the Afro-Diasporic Dances: Latin America and the U.S. workshop series. 

For Julio Beltrán, outreach coordinator of CLAS, this was an opportunity to bring together different practices related to the African Diaspora, both to bring more awareness about the roots, and at the same time, to create an open space for the Ohio State and Columbus communities to experience these expressions first-hand. Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology Alanis de la Cruz Perez, who attended the event on March 2, appreciated learning Afro-Brazilian dances and how similar they were to Puerto Rico's kokobale and bomba. "I really love how intertwined our customs are," de la Cruz Perez shared. 

Faculty members from the Department of Dance, and guest teachers from outside of Ohio, shared their knowledge and incredible energy with more than 100 attendees over the two days, with many of them participating in more than one workshop. Participants had the opportunity to experience dances like Afro-Veracruzano, Cumbia, Step/Hip-Hop, Krump, Tango, Maculelê, and Capoeira.

We're looking forward to hosting this event every year, so stay tuned for more updates about the next Afro-Diasporic Dances series!