On Monday, October 9, Los Latinos Unidos and the Unified Cultural Greek Council (UCGC) came together for their annual Salsa and Bachata Night at the Lakeside Lodge, where anyone in attendance received a free salsa and/or bachata dance class! In collaboration with Arlin’s Dance Spot, students got a fun lesson in two of the most iconic dances in Latin American culture. It was the perfect way to start closing off Hispanic Heritage Month, which ended on October 15.

LLU served many Latin American delicacies such as arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), pernil (pork shoulder), pasta salad, and other delicious food at the event. Arlin Eadilla, owner of Arlin’s Dance Spot, and two other dancers guided the guests through the bachata dance first, showing them every step, one at a time. Very quickly, students learned the moves and started dancing the full bachata in no time, accompanied by beloved songs of the Hispanic community. One student who had attended the previous year’s lesson even participated with them on the Lodge’s stage, helping the newer guests follow the dance. The guests later came together in pairs to dance until they started the salsa lesson.

The students evidently had a lot of fun, laughing and smiling throughout the lesson. Eadilla proved an excellent dance teacher who enjoyed interacting with the guests and sharing this part of Hispanic culture with them.

Edwin Feria-Serna, secretary and membership chair of LLU, was very happy with the turnout since many people showed up at the Lodge to attend. “We want to enrich other people’s [experiences with] the culture of [Latin] dancing,” Feria-Serna commented. “We decided to pick two of the most popular and well-known dances in Hispanic culture. Arlin and his studio crew come every year, and he takes his time, he has patience with everybody, to show them how to really move. Tonight was fun.”

Eadilla and the other dancers had a lot of fun teaching the students salsa and bachata. “This is my fourth year doing this, and I look forward to every year for them [LLU] to call me and bring me back,” Eadilla stated. “It’s great to have these young guys and ladies, to introduce them to Latin dance, which is exciting.”

Arlin’s Dance Spot is located at 6525 Ventnor Ave, Suite 2, Ventnor City. For more information, check out their website here or call (609) 316-7643.