The 14th Annual MCPS Latin Dance Competition at Strathmore Hall

By Alan Bowser

Perhaps the most exciting arts & entertainment program in Montgomery County is the annual MCPS Annual Latin Dance Competition, sponsored by the After School Dance Fund, and held for the last few years at the Music Center at Strathmore.

The 14th Annual MCPS Latin Dance Competition was held at Strathmore Hall, on November 25, 2013. Student dancers from Montgomery Blair, Blake, Clarksburg, Einstein, Gaithersburg, Quince Orchard, Springbrook, Seneca Valley, Watkins Mills and Wheaton High Schools participated. For more than a decade, Montgomery County high school students have competed in a county-wide competition that pits high school against high school in Cha-Cha, Salsa, Merengue and Bachata dance styles.  The competition also features a parent child division as well as a high school alumni competition.

This year, the talented student dancers of Einstein High School again dominated the competition, winning first place in the Cha-Cha, Merengue, Salsa, and Alumni competitions.  They also won first place in the "Best in Show" Division and tied for first in the "Jack & Jill" Division with Seneca Valley.

Check out this playlist of assorted 2013 MCPS Latin Dance Competition performances:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2xIPZHjIwdK3hckRQ9mxfJ3K6E0NrcYy

The After School Dance Fund (ASDF) was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under applicable IRS rules, to support the organization and financing of the Annual Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) Latin Dance Competition at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.  ASDF’s mission and goal, besides organizing and financing the Competition for the past two years, is to develop an ongoing Artistic and Technical support mechanism for all existing MCPS High Schools Latin Dance Clubs, and to assist others wanting to establish a new club to do so.

These programs promote cross cultural awareness; bridging the gap between communities, strengthening family values and empower students of all backgrounds, to share their heritage and culture which allows them to communicate better in school and at home, and continue their personal and educational growth in order to become healthy and positive members of our global society.  ASDF was founded by Ricardo Loaiza, a local Latin Dance Instructor, who for 12 years volunteered with the MCPS Afterschool Latin Dance Programs for Hispanic students.  He currently serves as Executive Director of the AfterSchool Dance Fund.

The Annual Latin Dance Competition is sponsored by the Montgomery County Arts & Entertainment Council, the Verizon Foundation, the Stratmore Foundawtion, the Trawick Foundation, Visionary Opthamology, and Montgomery County Schools.

For more information on the AfterSchool Dance Fund, please visit http://www.afterschooldancefund.org

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