Highlighting Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month
Throughout September and October, our school schedule has been filled with opportunities to uplift and celebrate Hispanic and Latinx heritage, history, culture and identities through a variety of learning and experiential events.
As a whole school community, we gathered together to hear the beautiful sounds and witness the dynamic dance rhythms of the Peruvian culture. Raices Peruanas, a Los Angeles-based, cultural institution founded in 1989. During the All School assembly, Raices Peruanas shared their talents with us and helped our students, families and employees experience a glimpse into the music and dance of Peru. Our students enjoyed seeing the vibrant colors and unique instruments and had the chance to join in on a little bit of the entertainment as well. Thank you, Raices Peruanas for sharing your diverse and rich culture with our community! Additionally, our Lower School students engaged in interactive workshops focused on learning the history of salsa and practicing the basic dance steps to accompany this beautiful music. The students gained an understanding of how mambo music originated in Cuba and was later expanded using the introduction to new instruments to create the salsa music many of us know and love. They learned about musicality, the blending of different instrumental sounds and the counts that connect music with dance steps. Each student engaged in learning the traditional salsa steps and performed in a group of their peers. We were so proud to host the Director of SoHo Youth Dance for this wonderful interactive experience with our students.
A special thank you to our Chandler parents and employees who contributed their time and energy to our Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month Planning Team. Their efforts and dedication continue to have a tremendous impact on our community. It is an honor to be a part of an institution committed to uplifting one another in meaningful and authentic ways.
