Amelia Ciarleglio ‘27
Features Editor
On November 19th, 2023 The Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion hosted Friendsgiving in the Loyola Ballroom from 6-8 PM with over 100 attendees. The entertainers for the night were Holy Cross’s one and only Latinidad Identidad dance team. The night was a celebration of Holy Cross friendships and was a wonderful send-off for the Thanksgiving break. Attendees filled goodie bags full of candy, and wrote thank you cards for loved ones and friends to deliver over Thanksgiving break. The MCs for the night did a wonderful job entertaining the crowd with Thanksgiving trivia, which my table enthusiastically answered (incorrectly, but it’s the thought that counts). The Loyola Ballroom was full of gratitude, and friends who were buzzing with excitement for the upcoming dance performances.
During the event, new friendships were formed over UNO and card games, and everyone enjoyed the great meal catered by a local Worcester restaurant. The catering included chicken and cheese empanadas, pulled pork, arroz con granules and pernil, beans, and other delectable side dishes. Many guests lined up for seconds, as the food was a hit. The main event of the night was Latinidad Identidad’s three dance performances. The first two performances were exciting merengue and bachata co-ed dances. The partners were well paired, and were extremely entertaining to cheer on! Ismael Sanchez Vargas, a member of the Latinidad Identidad dance team, commented that his team’s performance, “was a lot of fun. It was nice to see so many people, and the performances were amazing–and I’m not just saying that because I performed in them.” The final performers were the women’s group, which danced to a mashup of La Asesina by Bonny Cepeda and Moviendo la Cadera by Oro Solido. Another member of Latinidad Identidad, Yarelis Lorenzo-Febus, stated that she “enjoyed being in one of the performances and loved how hyped the audience was!” The performances were incredible, and the crowd went crazy, shouting and applauding. The performers were so confident in front of such a large audience. All three groups were full of energy and fed off the audience’s high energy. It was a delightful celebration, and a perfect way to kick off Thanksgiving break.
Featured image courtesy of Pexels Free Photos
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