Celebrating culture
Afro-Latino Festival to bring dancing, culinary delights
-Messenger file photo <BR> Yenifer Rivas Moreno, of Cali, Colombia, teaches Iowa Central students a dance during the 2024 Afro-Latino Festival last year on the Iowa Central Community College campus.
-Messenger file photo <BR> Manolo De Aragon of Des Moines, right, and Aleksandra Mikic, of Des Moines, teach Iowa Central students how to dance the mambo during the 2024 Afro-Latino Festival at Iowa Central. Manolo and Aleksandra own a dance company called “Mambo Soul Dance,” which will be featured at this year's festival as well.
-Messenger file photo <BR> Yenifer Rivas Moreno, of Cali, Colombia, teaches Iowa Central students a dance during the 2024 Afro-Latino Festival last year on the Iowa Central Community College campus.
-Messenger file photo <BR> Manolo De Aragon of Des Moines, right, and Aleksandra Mikic, of Des Moines, teach Iowa Central students how to dance the mambo during the 2024 Afro-Latino Festival at Iowa Central. Manolo and Aleksandra own a dance company called “Mambo Soul Dance,” which will be featured at this year's festival as well.
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Fort Dodge residents will have a chance to learn some new dance moves and try some different foods during the Afro-Latino Festival Wednesday at Iowa Central Community College.
The free event will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Student Resource Center on the Fort Dodge campus and continue until 1:30 p.m.
"This is a celebration of culture," said Andrea Estling, an advanced instructor in humanities. "It is an opportunity to encounter the culture and meet new people."
She said the day's events will enable people to try salsa dancing and learn about the history of Latin American nations, among other things.
The entertainment lineup includes Cucho at 8:30 a.m., Danza Folklorica del Oeste at 10:15 a.m., Mambo Soul Dance at 11:30 a.m. and Son Peruches at 12:30 p.m.
"We are the only community college in Iowa that has this," Estling said. "Not even Iowa and Iowa State have this. It is very unique."
She said the event would not be possible without the support of the Catherine Vincent Deardorf Charitable Foundation and the Ann Smeltzer Trust.