Hispanic Week continues with 'Dances in Transit'

This week marks Hispanic Week at the Capitol Centre and beyond, which has brought out a number of artists into the community to celebrate their multiculturalism.

On Thursday, Spanish Flamenco dancers and singers, along with their guitarist, met at the North Bay Bus Terminal and showcased their creative talents to local dignitaries and passerby’s alike.

Not allowing transit passengers to miss out, the troupe jumped on the city bus, which was headed to the local college, and exposed the delighted travellers to the cultural music and dance of both traditional and modern Spain.

“What we're trying to do is really surprise the general public today, with this event of riding the transit and we're hoping to capture not so much the performers on the bus, but the rider's on the bus and their expressions,” says Bernard Penney, from Dance Animateurs.

Penney, along with the other fine folks who work at the Capitol Centre, helped organize the event as part of the modern dance heritage exploration in order to bring the city's cultural diversity to the forefront celebrating, this year, with a Spanish theme.

“The message that we want to bring back to the Ontario Arts Council and Dances Ontario, who is footing the bill for this, is that dance is fun, dance is in the community and we're reaching people with it,” says Penney.

As part of Hispanic Week, the dancers have instructed a master class for forty students at the Capitol Centre, introducing the complicated dance moves of Flamenco and Palma, as well as providing entertainment for seniors at various living centres around the city.

A classical guitar workshop was held at Music City earlier this week in addition to dancers and singers providing a few impromptu performances throughout the city, with Thursday’s bus trip ending at the Nipissing and Canadore cafeteria, where the troupe put on a demonstration for the students.

More events will be taking place all day on Friday and Saturday at specific locations, with a finale performance to be held on Saturday evening at the Capitol Centre.

And best of all, the events are FREE for the general public!

Friday, October 18th

Kids Spanish Workshop
10:30 am, Early Years Centre

Flamenco Guitar Workshop
12:00 pm, West Ferris Secondary

Kids Spanish Workshop
2:00 pm, One Kids Place

Palma Workshop
4:30 pm, North Bay Library

Saturday, October 19th

Un cuento chino/Chinese Takeaway (Film)
12:00 pm, Capitol Centre

Hispanic Showcase
2:00 pm or 7:00 pm, Capitol Centre

Sip, Savour and Salsa Social
Spanish Cafe & Artist Courtyard
4:00 pm Capitol Centre (2nd Floor)

For more information, please contact the Capitol Centre at 705-474-4747 or visit their website at http://www.capitolcentre.org/