10/12/10. This month's celebration of the Hispanic Heritage culminated today in a special lunch and assembly. Led by representatives of the Milwaukee Public Theater, Messmer High students participated in a drum performance and authentic Latin dancing, after rehearsing after school for several weeks.
Organized by Mrs. Suzanne Welsh, Latino Coordinator, Mr. Jason Gonzalez, Theology, and Ms. Jamie Kramer, Spanish, the festivities started with a unique audience participation Call and Response getting the whole school involved in the music making.
The assembly featured "Bomba," a mixture of African, Hispanic, and Indian rituals featuring the rhythm of the drums, maracas, and clapping hands. The dancers moved to the beat left to right and front to back, connecting the rhythm with the movement of the body.
Both participants and the audience got the opportunity to better understand and appreciate the culture and customs of the Hispanic Heritage. Junior Michaela Sanders was surprised to learn "...that most of the drum beats are also used in R&B and Hip Hop music."
Senior Ashley Jones-Reed said: "It made us want to get more involved with the programs and Hispanic celebrations to learn a bit more of how they came to be who they are today."
See videos and slide show at right for more!
