Thanks to the efforts of the participants in the Go Teacher program through the Center for English as a Second Language, September 21, 2013 was an historic day for Ecuador. Thirty-eight dancers joined the activities of the Latino Festival de Lexington to share their culture and bring a small piece of Ecuador to Lexington. This was the first year that Ecuador was represented in the festival, and the first time their national flag was carried in the opening parade.
The Go Teachers practiced for many weeks to perfect their dance performance. Wearing traditional clothes representing all of the distinct regions of Ecuador, including the highlands, the coast, and the Amazon, they proudly performed several routines indicative of their country’s heritage. Angel Vaca and Cecilia Urgiles were the principal dancers and led the troupe during the performance.
The Go Teacher program, sponsored by the Center for ESL and in partnership with the new Ecuadorian Student Association, will also be hosting a “Shoulder to Shoulder Salsa” event on November 8th to benefit UK’s chapter of Shoulder to Shoulder Global, a medical mission comprised of UK student volunteers that visits Ecuador three times a year to provide free medical care. The event will take place from 6 to 9 pm in the Barker Hall dance studio. Admission is $5 with all of the fees collected being given to Shoulder to Shoulder to help fund their work. Those who cannot dance can learn at the event under the guidance of Angel and Cecila.
Video courtesy of Cecilia Urgiles.
Video courtesy of Cecilia Urgiles.
