As Caminarte participants walked west on Zaragoza St. after the well-attended featured events of Casa Ortiz on September 5, many came across the evening of Danzón coming to life in San Agustin Plaza, thanks to members of the Banda Municipal de Nuevo Laredo, dancers of the grupo Mextli, the Laredo Cultural District, and the City of Laredo.
The art walk participants, in addition to taking in the Danzón performance, were also able to experience a couple of lessons in Danzón under tutelage of the Mextli dancers.
Jorge Santana of the Laredo Cultural District noted, “Danzón is a slow partner dance. It is considered the national dance of Cuba and bears African and European influences. Mexico has adopted and expanded this beautiful, graceful art form. Here in the heart of this historic district, this performance brought to life a piece of the legendary Salón México,” he said.
Santana credited Nuevo Laredo’s Director of Arts and Culture, Felipe Flores Montemayor, with his assistance in staging the event, as well as District 8 City Council member Alyssa Cigarroa and the City of Laredo.
As the evening of dance and live music continued, the Plaza filled with energetic dancers of all ages and many who were content to observe and listen.