2008 Woodie Awards
Pan Am dance event mixes culture and community
By: Joyce Liy
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: Arts and Entertainment
A ball is a large, normally lavish, formal party featuring social dancing and sometimes given for a particular purpose, as to introduce debutantes or benefit a charitable organization.
The New Mexico State University Dance program will pioneer its Pan American Dance Institute (PADI) at a special gala event Tuesday at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.
"I was trying to figure out what made us different than other dance companies in the state," said Debra Knapp, NMSU dance program director. "We're a border university, and we should focus on our border heritage and traditions."
The vision for this event is to present and promote the different cultures represented throughout New Mexico. The goal is for everyone to understand the heritages and ethnicities in their communities.
Hors d'oeuvres and music will begin at 6 p.m. followed by an international dinner at 6:30 p.m. Bob Burns and the Mike Caranda Orchestra will provide swing, jitterbug, tango and cumbia music. Along with them will be the NMSU dance companies and other guest artists performing traditional and contemporary dances from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and the Caribbean.
PADI participates in local, national and international programs to promote themselves and have outreach to other communities as well. Some of their participation will be in youth programs, community dance performances and international exchange and national festivals.
"This will be a lot of fun to attend, and even though I am not involved in the dance industry, I am Hispanic, and there's nothing more important than understanding your heritage and having a little 'dress up' with it," mechanical engineering freshman Jana Hindi said.
The Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum is located at 2100 Dripping Springs. Tickets for the "Red and Black Ball" are $75 per person or $700 for a table of 10. The profits will help support PADI outreach programs and provide scholarships for students pursuing a dance degree. Tickets can be purchased at the Pan American Center or through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information call 646- 2070.
The New Mexico State University Dance program will pioneer its Pan American Dance Institute (PADI) at a special gala event Tuesday at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.
"I was trying to figure out what made us different than other dance companies in the state," said Debra Knapp, NMSU dance program director. "We're a border university, and we should focus on our border heritage and traditions."
The vision for this event is to present and promote the different cultures represented throughout New Mexico. The goal is for everyone to understand the heritages and ethnicities in their communities.
Hors d'oeuvres and music will begin at 6 p.m. followed by an international dinner at 6:30 p.m. Bob Burns and the Mike Caranda Orchestra will provide swing, jitterbug, tango and cumbia music. Along with them will be the NMSU dance companies and other guest artists performing traditional and contemporary dances from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and the Caribbean.
PADI participates in local, national and international programs to promote themselves and have outreach to other communities as well. Some of their participation will be in youth programs, community dance performances and international exchange and national festivals.
"This will be a lot of fun to attend, and even though I am not involved in the dance industry, I am Hispanic, and there's nothing more important than understanding your heritage and having a little 'dress up' with it," mechanical engineering freshman Jana Hindi said.
The Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum is located at 2100 Dripping Springs. Tickets for the "Red and Black Ball" are $75 per person or $700 for a table of 10. The profits will help support PADI outreach programs and provide scholarships for students pursuing a dance degree. Tickets can be purchased at the Pan American Center or through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information call 646- 2070.
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