Cubano-American ‘Fin De Fiesta" Celebrates with Dance, Music & Poetry at New College of Florida on April 29, 2017

Cubano-American ‘Fin De Fiesta’ Celebrates With Dance, Music, Poetry Dance workshops, poetry readings, puppet shows and salsa lessons are the highlights of “Fin De Fiesta,” a bilingual, family-friendly event from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 29, at New College of Florida, concluding the Cubano-American Community Project.
Dr. Sonia Labrador-Rodriguez, who organized the series of lectures and performances, calls Fin de Fiesta a “community gathering to celebrate a year of events.” Highlights include a participatory dance workshop by Sarasota Contemporary Dance on Afro-Cuban rhythms, a salsa dance party led by Jahrel Thompson, a performance of poetry of the “Apostle of Cuban independence,” Jose Marti, and a puppet show by New College of Florida students. Performances are in English and Spanish. Free refreshments from Mirna’s Cuban Cuisine will be available. The event is free and open to the public.
Leymis Bolaños-Wilmott, artistic director of Sarasota Contemporary Dance, said the event should be fun and entertaining for all ages. “I am so proud to be a part of a multi-generational celebration offering our greater community and our students and on campus multi-sensory experience of Cuban dance, poetry, and food,” she said. “We will begin with dance and drums and end with a Salsa dance party!” The event is sponsored by a grant to New College from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Calendar Listing: Fin de Fiesta, a bilingual, family-friendly celebration of the conclusion of the Cubano-American Community project Saturday, April 29, from 10:00 AM to noon New College of Florida Jane Bancroft Cook Library Plaza 5800 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota Free and open to the public
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Leymis Bolaños-Wilmott and Jahrel Thompson will lead dance workshops at the “Fin de Fiesta” celebration at New College of Florida on Saturday, April 29. New College of Florida is a national leader in the arts and sciences and is the State of Florida’s designated honors college for the liberal arts. Consistently ranked among the top public liberal arts colleges in America by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and The Princeton Review, New College attracts highly motivated, academically talented students from 38 states and 23 foreign countries. A higher proportion of New College students receive Fulbright awards than graduates from virtually all other colleges and universities.