An evening of dance highlights TCC Hispanic Heritage Month lineup

Tidewater Community College celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month under the national theme, “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.”

The college’s keynote event honors Hispanic culture through dance. Come and enjoy an evening of exceptional performances as we learn about “La History Humana” (The Human Story). The event will be held on Oct. 19, 2022, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, 340 Granby Street in Norfolk.

This keynote event is presented by Norfolk’s Todd Rosenlieb Dance (TR Dance) as well as TCC’s Student Life and Global and Intercultural Learning Committee. Additionally, the event is free and open to the public.

Also, this year’s keynote event includes four dance presentations as follows:

The Horse of Many Colors is based on a Latino folk tale. It narrates the story of a magical creature who rewards, with magical assistance, the kindness of a boy named Juanito in winning the hand of the daughter of the mayor in a Hispanic town. Choreographed by Artistic Director Todd Rosenlieb and commissioned by Ballets De San Juan, Puerto Rico’s premiere professional dance company, this witty tale is full of humor and folkloric strokes expressed in a dance narrative full of athleticism, creativity and imagination.

Migajas de un Vals is a contemporary piece choreographed by Omar Nieves Delgado, former principal of Coda 21, Puerto Rico’s acclaimed contemporary dance company and Ballets de San Juan. Scored by the sound of Spanish songwriter Silvia Pérez Cruz y Påjaro, this work is filled with thoughts of love, lust and urban tones present in today’s Latinx generation of artists.

YMA is set to the virtuoso sound of Latina icon Yma Sumac. This modern dance work, choreographed by Rosenlieb, is a homage to Latino rhythms and shapes in a celebration of Hispanic culture full of exuberance and joy.

Campestre is choreographed by Ricardo Melendez, the former artistic director of the Ballet de San Juan. The dance is set to the romantic sound of Susana Baca, a well-known Peruvian singer and songwriter. This excerpt is the central piece to a larger work that explores the joys and pains of Latino peasant folks through a dance language combining classical and folkloric influences. This romantic duet is full of longing images and shapes, wrapped in sensual undertones and performed with breathtaking ability.

After the performances, a panel discussion will feature TR Dance’s Melendez speaking on how dance can be used to grow acceptance and cultural inclusivity. Other panel members include moderator Lynette Hauser, Ph.D., TCC biology professor and a member of the Global and Intercultural Learning Committee; Olga Torres Baker, primary consultant, Taina Consulting and Commissioner of the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission; and TCC Spanish professor Jessica Lynam, Ph.D.

Additional Hispanic Heritage Month events include campus and virtual events including:

Sept. 15 – 12:30 p.m.
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Virginia Beach Campus Student Center
Kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month at the beach with food and activities.

Sept. 21 – 3 p.m.
Hispanic Heritage Month – Movie
Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, TV Lounge
Join us for the documentary “Guatemala: Heart of the Mayan World” in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Sept. 28 – 12:30 p.m.
Hispanic Heritage Month Fall Fiesta and Org Storm
Chesapeake Campus Student Center, Chesapeake Bay Room
Join the campus community for a Hispanic Heritage Month Fall Fiesta and also learn about student organizations by visiting with club members during Org Storm.

Oct. 12 – 12:30 p.m.
Actor Jackie Cruz shares her survival story
Virtual
Singer, actress and musician Jackie Cruz rose to fame with her role as Flaca in the Netflix series “Orange Is The New Black.” Cruz shares an inspiring story of survival, beating overwhelming odds, and pursuing and achieving your dreams.

Oct. 13 – 7 p.m.
Virtual Trivia Stream | Hispanic Heritage Month Edition
Virtual
Get online and check out our Virtual Trivia Stream for Hispanic Heritage Month!

For more information about campus events, visit TCC’s online calendar or email Dean Emily Hartman at ehartman@tcc.edu.

TCC welcomes scholar-activists for Hispanic Heritage Month

Tidewater Community College celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month under the national theme, “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope.”

The college will host two virtual events for students and the community. The first is the keynote address by Rosa Alicia Clemente, a journalist, political commentator, producer and scholar-activist.

Clemente‘s remarks are entitled “When A Puerto Rican Ran For Vice President And No One Knew Her Name.” She will share her presentation on Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. To register for the virtual event, use this link. The hour-long program will include a question-and-answer session moderated by TCC Spanish professor Jessica Lynam, Ph.D.

In 2008, Clemente became the first Black-Latina to run for Vice-President of the United States on the Green Party ticket. She is also creator of Know Thy Self Productions. Clemente is associate producer on the 2021 Oscar-winning biographical film “Judas and the Black Messiah.” She is currently completing her Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The college will also host Juan Raúl Ferreira, Ph.D. to speak about “Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Challenges for Latinx Across the Borders” on Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. via Zoom using this link and passcode: 23501. The presentation is produced by TCC Spanish professor Gabriela Toletti, Ph.D. in partnership with the Global and Intercultural Learning Committee and the “My Thoughts. My Voice. My Art.” initiative.

Ferreira is a lecturer, journalist, writer, human rights activist and international consultant. He has been Uruguayan Representative, Uruguayan Senator, Ambassador to Argentina, and President of the National Institution of Human Rights. Ferreira will analyze the unique challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed for Latinx across the borders. Some Latin American governments have used the health crisis to impose unpopular policies knowing that there would be no mobilization against them. Ferreira will address underlying inequities and threats that the pandemic has unveiled, and he will present strategies to advance human rights.

Toletti will lead a Question and Answer session with Ferreira after the presentation.

For more information about these events, email Alicia Phillips at aphillips@tcc.edu or Gabriella Toletti at gtoletti@tcc.edu.

Renowned playwright part of TCC’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

Tidewater Community College will recognize Hispanic Heritage Month with a keynote program featuring world-renowned playwright Dino Armas, Professor Gabriela Christie Toletti, Juan Raúl Ferreira and other guests on Sept. 27.

The event, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center in downtown Norfolk, is free and open to the public.

Dino Armas and Gabriela Toletti in Uruguay. — Gabriela Toletti, with Dina Armas, when she first presented her book at a special event in Uruguay.

The trio will discuss Toletti’s new book, “On the Scene with Migration and Dictatorship: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Work of Uruguayan Playwright Dino Armas.” The conversation will focus on the migratory waves that shaped Latin America, as well as military dictatorships that changed the course of history.

Toletti teaches Spanish classes at TCC and is chair of liberal arts on the Norfolk Campus. Ferreira is a past Uruguayan Parliament representative and senator and Uruguayan ambassador to Argentina.

Dancers performing selected tangos and actors portraying scenes from Armas’ plays will be part of the evening. A book signing and reception will follow the event.

Armas’ works have been staged in Latin America, the United States and Europe.

“My book is a way to enter Armas’ world to inquire into Hispanic and universal human conflicts,” Toletti said. “This work constitutes a shared stage of reflection, analysis, collaboration and affection toward Armas, Hispanic culture and a universal multicultural heritage.”

TCC will celebrate the rich and diverse cultural traditions of Hampton Roads’ Hispanic-American community with activities on its four campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

All Hispanic Heritage Month events are free and open to the public.

Visit tcc.edu/hispanicheritage for a listing of campus events.

For more information, contact the Intercultural Learning Center at intercultural@tcc.edu or 757-822-7296.