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□ .s-Ni , This Day In USC History ~b~u ^VT /^V" September 30,1977- The first 24 students of the USC m ■ iff—■■ ■—■ School of Medicine were welcomed at the Russell - CL House. "Che (gamecock page h fflsS I» 8 '' S9S ' '' 8 BBSs®? ' " 8 '■ <■ S' ^ kw' ■ '■ ss ■. •• i' ■ Ss© w ' wi MHi M s ® 8 KSS '' v * w S ' ® ■ to »S5 ' > ■y': » '■ ■' '■ 8 ® '' ' ' 'N' The Gamecock Celebrates j National Hispanic History Month gjg Safa &y F^acuzp tt&uviei &rC-&T&*YA £-PI TOK With the popularity of Latin American music growing thanks to the arrival of heartthrobs Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez on the pop music scene, many Americans are discovering the beauty and sensuality of Latin American culture and dance. First popularized in New York City during the heyday of the dance culture of the 1940s and 1950s, Latin dancing was almost lost from American culture, on ly to be resurrected briefly during the “Dirty Dancing” days. How ever, this form of high-energy, high- emotion dancing has since been gaining a following not on ly among Hispanic Americans, but also the rest of modem America. Latin dancing’s popularity stems from the infectious rhythms and big-band sounds of the Latin American music. These sounds and steps fuse the dances and rhythms from a variety of cultures like African, Cuban and Ameri can. The most well-known of the Latin dances, the mambo, the merengue and the salsa, all have their roots in these cultures. Be cause of this influence of so many cultures, it is often hard to trace the origins of the dances. The mambo dance is said to have originated in Cuba, and its introduction to popular culture is attributed to Perez Prado, who first brought it to a nightclub in Havana in 1943. It first appeared in the United States in one of New York City’s Harlem dance clubs, and soon gained recognition among many of New York’s avant-garde I-1 clubs. The original dance was then toned down becasue of its acro batic moves and presented to the public in dance studios and resort hotels. However, the dance is one of the most difficult of Latin dances, and its popularity today is mostly limited to advanced dancers. An other of the popular Latin dances, the merengue, has two popular stories of origin. One story claims that the official dance of the Do minican Republic originated with slaves who were chained togeth er and were consequently forced to drag one leg while working to the beat of a drum. The other tale says that a great Dominican hero was wounded in the leg during one of the revo lutions in the country, and the vil lagers felt obliged to limp and drag one foot while dancing out of sym pathy for the wounded hero. An other version of the merengue, the meringue, is found in Haiti. Un like the mambo, the merengue has existed in the Dominican Re public since the country’s early years. By the middle of the 19th century, the dance was very popular both in that country and also throughout the Caribbean and South America. The merengue was then in troduced into the New York City area, but did not gain recognition until many years later. The dance tempos vary a great deal for the merengue, switching from a slow er pace, then quickening into a sharper pace, and then closing with a bright, fast tempo. The ballroom merengue, however, is slower and has a modified hip action. Because of this, it is often said to be one of the most fun and easiest to learn of the Latin dances. The salsa, which is perhaps the most well-known of the Latin dances, is said to have its roots in the Affican-Cuban tradition. While often associated with Puerto Ri co, the dance is said to have been brought to America in the ‘30s by big-band musicians who i-1 traveled from Cuba and integrat ed it into a style of music. How ever, the dance has since evolved from its Cuban origins, and Puer to Rico is credited with accepting and advancing its style. The popularity of salsa and oth er Latin dances declined during the British Invasion of the ‘60s, but the ‘70s saw a resuigence of the style. The ‘90s have increased the number of fans of the salsa, and the rise in Latin clubs across the nation gamers more and more popularity for the music and dance. One of these Latin clubs, the Lotus Club, is right here in Co lumbia. The club, which was founded in 1994, is on Beltline Boulevard. Jane Fishburne be gan the club because of her rela tionship with people from Puer to Rico and Spain, and said she wanted to start “a big Latin club for everyone.” The club, which calls itself Co lumbia’s only salsa club, offers more than just salsa music. “We play a little bit of every thing,” Fishburne said. “Salsa, merengue, Latin house; there’s something for everyone.” L. — . ■■ I In addition, the Lotus Club al so hosts various Latin bands, like Mando Rico, which will play at the club Friday. Fishburne says Mando Rico is a Latin ska band, and its music is “a fusion of Caribbean, rock, Latin and hip hop.” According to Fishburne, while the popularity of Latin music might have just recently achieved na tional recognition, the Lotus Club has been pulling in dancers since it opened. “Even when we first opened the club, we had a lot of attendance, I think because we were instrumental in bringing this type of music and dance to the Co lumbia area. Five years ago Co lumbia didn’t even know the word ‘salsa.’ I am happy that others have taken notice of the style though,” Fishburne said. Fishbume says that the type of dancers who attend the club is not limited to Hispanics. In fact, says Fishbume, “We have a lot of di versity at the club: a lot of USC students, a combination of all col ors, all races. It’s something dif ferent for South Carolina. There’s just a lot of love here.” The Lotus Club also offers sal sa lessons for those who are in timidated by their lack of knowl edge. The lessons, which are given by Gabriel Williams, were offered only on Fridays, but the course in terest has increased so much that a new lesson schedule for Satur days had to be made. The club is open beginnign Fri day and Saturday nights. To sign up for salsa lessons, call the club at 790-9951. Campus Notes Carolina For Kids holds kick-off Carolina For Kids will be holding their annual kick-off Sept 1 and 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Greene Street in front of the RH. For more information call Phyllis Davis at 735-9924. Circle K announces fall meetings USC’s Circle K International will hold meetings for the Fall Semester at 8pm on Sept.l, 8, 22, Oct 6,20 and Nov. 3,10 in Room 304 in the Russell House University Union. For more infor mation call Rebecca Timmins at' 796-2642 or e-mail at USCCircleK@aol.com Blood drives to be held The American Red Cross is hold ing blood drives on the following days: Aug. 25 - Sept. 1 from 7:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. at 2751 Bull St. For more information call the American Red Cross at 251-6000. USC Rugby holds scrimmage USC Rugby will hold a Garnet and Black scrimmage at 2 p.m. Sept. 4 at the P.E. field. CHDC holds work shop The Counseling and Human Development Center will be offering a Drop-in Self Hypnosis workshop from 2-3:30p.m. start ing Wednesday Sept 8. For more information call the center at 777-5223. USC Orchestra to open 1999-2000 season The USC Symphony Orchestra opens its 1999-2000 season at 8 p.m. on Friday September 17 at the Koger Center, Tickets are $ 14-general public, $ 11 -senior ^ citizens and USC faculty & staff, $7-students. Tickets can be pur chased at the Coliseum Box Office or by calling (803)251 2222. Literacy Council needs volunteers The Literacy Council of Greater Co lumbia needs volunteers to tutor adults for all levels of literacy. For more in formation, call the council at 765 2555, or contact Joan Kirkpatrick at 777-3799 orjoank@gwm.sc.edu. Briefs can be submitted to room 333 Russell House. We can’t promise to print every thing, but we can promise to try. 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