The upbeat salsa music was pumping as the dancers cha-cha’d their way onto the Campus Center dance floor. Countless salsa couples were bumping and grinding while the Fireside Room was all but void of dancers.
“Everybody can come in and experience a different environment,” said Elizabeth Favila, vice president of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztl?n, or M.E.Ch.A. “This will bring all the cultures together, Spanish and English.”
The dance, on March 14, offered students a variety of music, from a disc jockey playing alternative music in the Fireside Room to a band performing Spanish tunes on the stage in Campus Center. However, the fast-paced salsa was what kept couples on their feet.
“People love dancing,” said M.E.Ch.A. President Hector Leonzo. “People can listen to both kinds of music, both Spanish and English.”
This is the first dance that M.E.Ch.A. has sponsored, so to boost attendance, the first hour of the dance was free of admission.
“People will show up if it’s cheap and free,” Leonzo said. “We want people to show up.”
Leonzo does admit that sponsoring a dance is “pretty expensive.” They paid Ezdiga, the band, as well as an out-of-town DJ, Jared Perry, to perform. Leonzo estimated that $300 was taken from M.E.Ch.A.’s budget to put on the dance.
Paul Bench, vice president of activities for the Associated Students of Bakersfield College, said BC has not had a dance in quite a few years. He said he has brought up the idea before, but there wasn’t too much interest.
“When students leave school they don’t usually want to come back,” he said. The likelihood of dances is rare because of the cost to those who sponsor it. Bench estimates a dance would cost the ASBC $1,000 for the DJ, food and decorations.
Favila said that due to the high cost she doesn’t believe the club will garner much of a profit.
“This is a fund-raiser to get the college involved, but I don’t think we’ll make a profit,” she said.
Perry said he was working for a tenth of his usual pay to perform as a favor for M.E.Ch.A.
“We know some members and they gave us a call,” he said. Perry is a freestyle DJ in Bakersfield who runs his personal business with his wife, Carianne.
Gilbert Dasmas, the bass player and vocalist for Ezdiga, said Leonzo was a friend of his, so the band would play for a small wage as well.
Hugo Avila, another bass player and vocalist for the band, said their band plays solely in Spanish.
“We play mostly political music about what is going on in Mexico,” he said. “We want the Spanish people to know about what we say.”
If dances are open to the public, then Bakersfield College security is required to be present. Leonzo said that since no alcohol would be served, he felt BC security would not be necessary. However, many high school students were at the dance.
“M.E.Ch.A. as a whole is doing almost everything,” Leonzo said. “But we’re going to take good care of everyone.”
Even the restrooms were monitored by M.E.Ch.A. members. Signs with “If you want to tag” and “Tag on paper not wall” were posted in the restrooms.
The dance was the brainchild of Leonzo to raise money for the organization, because it’s trying to send at least one member to national and statewide conferences later this year. M.E.Ch.A. member Richard Rodriquez said it takes $300 to $400 per student to go to the conferences.
“We are promoting M.E.Ch.A. and to help raise money,” he said. “We want to reach out to the community and educate people about our history.”
The dance not only was meant to raise money for the organization, but it was also an opportunity to gain new members.
“We like to help people and reach out and get with the community,” said member Gustavo Alvarez. “We need to raise funds for competition, but also we want to recruit members.”
According to Bench, a dance is fairly simple to put on. A club needs to fill out two forms, one for the facilities and the other for security.
The ASBC sponsored a dance this week in the Campus Center as part of the Spring Fling activities. Bench said he hopes this dance will generate interest so more dances will be put on for the college.
“I would like to see more dances here,” he said.