Ritmo Latino Dance Company

“Find Your Own Beat” isn’t just Ritmo Latino Dance Company’s slogan, it’s their way of life.

The diverse group of dancers just started their fourth semester on campus and want to let Texas State know that they plan on sweeping everyone off their feet.

Ritmo Latino’s social chair Kassandra Banda says that it doesn’t matter what your background, ethnicity, or dance experience is, everyone is welcome to express themselves through dance.

We dance to anything such as salsa,  merengue, bachata, quizomba, and any new dance styles are welcome because we are all about diversity—We can show everyone a little about ourselves and expose people to the different varieties of music that we dance to and that we really enjoy.
– Kassandra Banda

Ritmo Latino was started in Fall 2009 by Texas State State alumni Janel Caminos. Caminos wanted to start a dance group that was different, fun, and demonstrated latin culture. Ritmo Latino’s current president Brienna Burton says that she wanted to continue that tradition and promote growth within the group and one of those changes was its name.

The biggest change that we made is changing our name from Ritmo Latino Dance Society to Ritmo Latino Dance Company and we just really wanted to spread latin culture. All international latin culture to the san marcos community and to the student body in general.
– Brienna Burton

Ritmo has practices twice a week for a reason. The group performs in competitions, conferences, and events on and off campus. The most recent of which was at the Texas State Talent show where they won 2nd place in group dance. Even though the group likes to be competitive, assistant director Evelyn Marfow says it all comes down to enjoying eachothers company and having fun while exercising.

We are just one big happy family and exercise is fun and it gives you endorphins. And us dancers we are exercising all of the time because dancing is a workout so we are always happy people.
– Evelyn Marfow

Banda also says that dance has brought joy in her life.

Also with the school stress…sometimes you’re not having a good day and just showing up to practice and feeling that energy that we all have as a family  just brings you up like no other thing.
– Kassandra Banda

Ritmo Latino just finished their auditions for the semester and plan on having a full schedule of events this spring including monthly dance lessons and open dance events. For more information about Ritmo Latino Dance Company, visit their facebook or follow them on their instagram at Ritmo Latino 2012.

Taylor Alanis, KTSW News