Students participate in musical chairs at the Hispanic Student Association's spring Hispanic Heritage Celebration Friday. Photo by Casey Gahagan | The Appalachian

He soon joined the Latin Dancing Club, when two high school dancing teachers taught him traditional Hispanic dances and introduced him to a lifestyle much different than his own.

Price, who soon became the club’s dance instructor, particularly enjoys the “flamenco” dance.

“Flamenco originated from the people who were exiled from India, known as gypsies, who settled in Spain,” Price said. “The dance represents the pride of the people who got exiled from India, so it’s very vigorous and there’s a lot of stomping and clapping.”

Toward the end of high school, Price moved to Nicaragua to learn Spanish. There, various Hispanic families provided him with hosting.

Now a freshman at Appalachian State University, Price immediately joined the Hispanic Student Association (HSA) to celebrate the Hispanic culture with students with similar interests.

Currently, Appalachian enrolls approximately 200 Hispanic students, representing 2 percent of the student body, Maria A. Ramirez, president of HSA and senior secondary math education major said.

Ramirez, originally from Mexico, moved to America when she was 11. She learned traditional Hispanic dances by going to tropical dance clubs.

Price attributes the low percentage to Boone’s cold climate, not typical of most Latin American countries. Differing cultural values regarding education, he said, may also pose a factor.

Although the percentage of Hispanic students is small, HSA consists of a close community of 20-25 members dedicated to spreading the Hispanic culture throughout campus by hosting a variety of events, including one dance and heritage festival each semester.

The club hosted its spring Hispanic Heritage Celebration Friday. The event featured Hispanic dancing lessons, a Jalapeño-eating competition, limbo and musical chairs.

Freshman elementary education major Emily M. Feusse attended the event. She was first exposed to Hispanic culture when, while growing up, she took mission trips with her family to Mexico.

This summer, Feusse plans to return to Mexico with her family to help work in various orphanages.

“When I tell people I’m in HSA, they say ‘oh, so you’re Hispanic,’ and I say ‘no, but I wish I was,’” Feusse said. “Everywhere in the Hispanic culture, the family unit is so strong. There’s a beauty in the simplicity of their lifestyles.”

While participating in mission trips, the houses she has helped build, she said, are the sizes of two-car garages. Some of the families who received the houses, she said, previously lived in cardboard boxes and/or whatever they could find.

For some, HSA provides “a home away from home –” a way to socialize with others and to pursue various similar activities and interests.

Meetings occur every Thursday at 6:45 p.m. in the McRae Peak Room of Plemmons Student Union. Ramirez also encourages all students to attend her free Hispanic dancing lessons from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in Mt. Mitchell Life Fitness Centre of the student union each Sunday.

Hispanic Student Association Dance Festival:
April 23 at 8 p.m. in the Whitewater Lounge of Plemmons Student Union

Want to join HSA?
Meetings occur every Thursday night at 6:45 p.m. in the McRae Peak Room of Plemmons Student Union.

Story: MEGAN NORTHCOTE, Lifestyles Reporter
Photo: CASEY GAHAGAN, Photographer