Fiesta celebrates Latino culture

class= — Students from the different sections come back to the stage at the end of Fiesta. The sections this year included: Brazil, Peru, the Caribbean, Colombia and Mexico. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

Students from across the university performed a variety of dances from different Latin American cultures for BYU's annual Fiesta event Friday, Nov. 3.

Fiesta, which means party in Spanish, is an event organized by BYU's Multicultural Student Services office. The event showcases the diversity and richness of Latin American culture through dance.

The different performances included dances from Brazil, Mexico, the Caribbean, Colombia and Peru. Each section was composed of full-time students from all over campus, including the section leaders who volunteered to arrange the performances.

Although students may or may not have begun with a connection to the country they were representing, throughout the process they are often filled with a desire to learn about the culture they are dancing for. Many participants are not professional dancers but are enthusiastic to learn the Fiesta routines.

Miranda Howes, a sophomore from California, had a special connection with the country she was representing as her mother is from Cali, Colombia.

“I just wanted to do something that I could connect more with my roots,” Howes said.

Even though she had never danced in a setting like this before, Howes was able to become more comfortable with the dance through the help of her section leaders. The section leaders of the Colombian section worked with her so she could perform to the best of her ability, Miranda Howes said.

“This night is amazing and just so bright,” Howes said at the end of the event.

Howes was supported by her parents and grandparents at Friday's performance. Her parents made the trip to Utah from California.

“We just flew to come for Fiesta,” Luisa Howes said.

Luisa Howes shared she loved every minute of Fiesta because all the performances were great and showed the students’ effort.

“I was very fascinated with the costumes and the teamwork,” Luisa Howes said.

Luisa Howes, who has lived in the U.S. for many years, had a special experience while seeing her daughter on the stage representing her home country.

“It was bringing tears to my eyes … and it nurtured my soul tonight,” Luisa Howes said.

Yisel Meza, a senior from Mexico, performed with Peru. She joined the Peruvian section after one of her friends, who is Peruvian, invited her.

“I had a good time getting to know people and getting to know about ... their culture,” Meza said about her experience.

Meza highlighted the performer's preparation, and said they held weekly practices leading up to the event. Meza said it helped to see the support and energy from the audience while they were performing.

Claire Hendricks, a senior studying public relations, came to see her friends and coworkers who were performing.

“It was super cool seeing everyone express their culture and dance and have fun together,” Hendricks said.

Hendricks came for her friends, but said she was cheering on everybody. She said she enojyed all of the performances.

“There’s ... no excuse not to come,” Hendricks said.

Those who missed Fiesta this year can look forward to Fiesta next fall.

The MSS Office will hold Lu'au, another cultural appreciation event, on the evenings of Nov. 15 and 16. Lu'au is an annual commemoration of Polynesian heritage, culture and traditions. The event is currently sold out but those interested can watch the livestream on the MSS office website.

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A student from the Brazil section doing a solo performance. The Brazil section opened the night. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Brazilian section performing. The students performed several traditional dances.(Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Brazilian section on stage. The students performed several traditional dances. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Audience members watch the Brazil section performances. The Fiesta event had a full house. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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A student from the Mexican section performing a dance from the state of Guerrero. The Mexican section has the largest group of participants. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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A couple from the Caribbean section. Students from the Caribbean section performed several traditinal dances. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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A close-up of the performers' feet. Students prepared for Fiesta through weekly practices. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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People in the front row clapping. The audience was composed of performers' family members, friends and other BYU students. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Colombian section on stage. The students performed several traditional dances from Colombia. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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A group of female students dancing. The Colombian section had a girls only dance. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Colombian section on stage wearing Colombia's national football team jerseys. All the participating students from the Colombian section got on the stage at the end of their act. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Peruvian section leader Akira Contreras. Section leaders are full-times students that volunteer to coordinate and coreograph the performances. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Audience members standing. At the end of the night the audience offered the performers a standing ovation. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Peruvian section pose with Peru's flag. Each section counted with members that are natives to the countries they were representing. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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A student performer poses with her family. Family members attend Fiesta to support their students. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Mexico section perform the "Azteca" dance. The Mexican section usually have performances from several traditional dances. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Journalism student Angie Hernandez performing the dance "La Culebra" from the state of Jalisco. This traditional dance uses colorful dresses with double circle skirts that can spread out. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Performers catch one male student at the end of the "La Culebra" dance. Students from the Mexican section performed several traditional dances. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Caribbean section performing. The students from the Caribbean section started their performance with the popular urban music "Reggaeton." (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Caribbean section doing a couples dance. Students from the Caribbean section danced to the popular Dominican Republic music "Bachata." (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Students from the Peru section performing the traditional dance "Caporales." Peru is one of the recurrent sections in Fiesta. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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A group of female students traditional dance "Festejo." The Peruvian section had an only girls act. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Student dancer mid-air. Students from the Peruvian section performed traditional dance "Pacasito." (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Group of students performing the "Pacasito" dance. The Peruvian section included four different dances. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Male student performers jumping during "Pacasito" dance. Students from the Peruvian section performed several traditional dances. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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Peruvian students perfomed the popular "Marinera" dance. Students from the Peruvian section closed the Fiesta night. (Bryan Barba Salazar)

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