H. Frank Carey High School's first annual International Latina Festival Dance was held in the school's dining hall north recently. This new dinner dance, sponsored by the Latina Leadership Club, was a major success, with many students and faculty participating.

"We really didn't expect this great an outcome," said senior Rosa Garcia, a member of the club.

Latina Leadership really didn't plan on entertaining so many people. There were a large variety of students at the dance. A few of the Carey faces in the crowd were Michaelle Solages, Claudia Balbuena, Antonella Cervoni, Ann Marie Hordern and Fatima Elatfi.

What most of the students at Carey didn't know is that the dance wasn't the beginning of the festivities. Many teachers arrived earlier and shared an early dinner. Traditional music was played and food was served. The club members all cooked foods based on their ethnic backgrounds. Some of the foods present were rice and chicken, plantains, papusas, flan and beans. Among the club members helping to serve this delicious fare were Karla Paz, Michelle Morales and Stephanie Parra.

After eating, a few teachers joined the students in dancing to the smooth Latin sounds. A couple of female club members were giving dance lessons. Advice and special techniques were being exchanged the entire night. Most of the teachers were so engrossed in the Latin flavor they began to dance to the cultural music. Carey art chairperson Ron Lopez was seen showing off his amazing dancing skills. Other teachers present included Joanne Bergbom, Mike Cartolano, Maureen Baranov, Marlene Natale and Brian Merges.

This "early bird" dinner began around 4:30 p.m., but the fun didn't end when the food left. The DJ club astounded most of the students with their selection of music. No one thought the music could have been any better. Latin sensations like Enrique Iglesias, Elvis Crespo and Gloria Estefan were played alongside of Shakira. The Latin beat flowed through the entire dining hall. All Carey students, including members of the English as a Second Language Academy were up and dancing.

The dance was a hit, thanks to the efforts made by the club members, the DJ Club and the teachers who sacrificed their Friday night to supervise and participate. Latina Leadership plans on making this dance an annual event.