The Latin Dance Society (LDS) of UTSA recently hosted its fourth annual spring arts showcase on April 18, 2013.

The showcase is held to support UTSA’s Arts programs. The event allows students to showcase their talent in their own artistic form and entertain the audience and attendees.

This year’s event had a multitude of entertainers, including dance groups, a juggler, a belly dancer that balanced a sword on her head while dancing and a solo guitarist.

LDS’s showcase allowed UTSA students to express themselves through art and dance. After every act or performance, the audience cheered and applauded loudly. During the juggler’s act, cheers and words of motivation were heard through the dance music he was juggling to. There was not a single act that did not receive cheering and applause after its performance. Each act was different and unique from each other.

“If you “look at (the universities) it’s kind of all about athletics, and there is not enough appreciation for the arts and music; whether it be, theatre or dance,” said Zachary Delong, president of LDS and a senior kinesiology major.

“We felt that there was a lot of talent (at UTSA), whether it be that they are talented in dance, drawing, photography or anything like that,” said Steve Gutierrez.

Delong says that this year’s event was the most “fluid as far as everything coming along.” One of the modern dance group made up of UTSA students, involved all the attendees to go on stage and do a line dance with the group. “This year was the first year where they involved the [audience],” Gutierrez says. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed it; they were yelling, standing and dancing in place wherever they stood. Laughter and smiles were heard and seen throughout the crowd.

Delong and Gutierrez both agreed that the showcase is mainly for the arts and the expression of it.

LDS, an organization since the spring of 2008, was founded to get more people involved in the arts, especially dance. LDS members pay a $25 fee to be a part of the society, which help fund these types of events and pay for dance instructors for the members.
They teach dance lessons such as salsa and bachata which are normally held on Thursday nights in the Rec Center. Everyone is welcome to join the organization and take advantage of the dance classes that are offered.

For more information about the Latin Dance Society visit www.facebook.com/utsalatindance.