In celebration of what will be a successful two years together, Senora Maria Morrongiello and her two Spanish 5AP classes chose to attend a live show presenting a variety of historical Hispanic dances and songs. Latin American Expressions, held in the Rimsky Theater in Port Washing- ton, was a fun-filled, hour-long show that featured about five or six performers who were experts in a multitude of Hispanic music.

For each Spanish-speaking country, an introductory video was played on a screen that exposed the types of song and dance typical to the people of the country. Upon the conclusion of the video, the actors would appear dressed from head-to-toe in the attire of the people of that nation. The presentation began with la pais del Mexico, or the country of Meixco, and the leads walked onstage in a full mariachi costume to reproduce the authentic sound of the Mexican Jarabe Tapatio.

The following acts covered all walks of Spanish music. The salsas, both from Colombia and Cuba, were some of the crowd’s favorites. The merengue, a native dance of the Dominican Republic centered around a sequence of steps by a couple (traditionally a man and woman), brought a fast-paced and exciting segment that juxtaposed la bachata, another Dominican dance that is notable for being a slower tune, which exemplified the coordination and sensuality of the couples.

The performers also highlighted famous dances like the Argentine tango and Cuban cha-cha-cha, which featured excellent foot-coordination and brilliantly colored costumes. During these dances, the actors frequently switched couples, bringing out the strength of each performer and offering each the spotlight in the dance of their native country.

At the conclusion of the review of historical Spanish and Latin music, the hosts invited a few lucky raffle winners onto the stage to engage in an interactive dance. Lined up from small to tall, students from multiple schools were able to dance onstage to music from pop-artist Enrique Iglesias, including seniors Zack Leder, Samantha Rizzo, and Allison Kunstler. “It was a great experience. I had fun dancing on stage as well as merging this with learning more about the Spanish culture,” said Leder, a music enthusiast and member of the concert choir.

After leaving the theater, Morrongiello and her students headed to Mesita, a Mexican restaurant in Rockville Center. There, students were treated to fresh batches of chips and salsa as well as a Mexican buffet of tortillas with pork, chicken, rice, and guacamole. For dessert, students enjoyed hot cinnamon churros with a chocolate dip. Along with dessert, the students humorously requested a small cake and candle brought out for Morrongiello, and they joined in singing “Feliz Cumpleanos” (Happy Birthday) to her utter surprise and joy.

Overall, Morrongiello and her stu- dents loved the trip. “I look forward to the Spanish 5AP trip each year. After having these students for two years, we got to enjoy an amazing cultural experience outside the classroom,” said Morrongiello. Additionally, senior Jack Hunter felt this was a fitting summation of all of the memories their class has made together in Spanish: “We got to see a lot of things we’ve learned about in the classroom for the past two years come to life: listening to real Spanish speakers, noticing their regional accents, watching Latin American dances, eating authentic Mexican food. I realized that I knew more than I thought about the language and Spanish culture, and that was reassuring. Ultimately, I think this trip is something we’ll all definitely remember for a long time.”