Zon del Barrio Celebrates Latin Heritage Week at Staples

Sam Freeman ’11
Web A&E Editor

Staples students danced with professional Latin dancers while Zon del Barrio played merengue music. Photo by Joy Eisenberg '10

With their upbeat spirits and passionate love for Latin music, the band Zon del Barrio took the Staples High School stage on Apr. 30 during two in-school cultural performances.

The presentation started off with a brief introduction to Latin music and its background, and then progressed into loud beats from drummers Eduardo “Tito” Gonzalez and Oreste Abrantes. They were accompanied by vocalists Aurora Flores, Sammy Rosa and MaryAnn Santiago-Murillo and bass player Ruben Lopez. David N. Fernandez, who is the band’s musical director, also accompanied them on the keyboard

“I want people to dance when they hear Latin music, it should make you feel something” said Aurora Flores bandleader, composer and vocalist of Zon del Barrio.

That’s exactly what the student body did. Students indulged in the Latin culture by getting on stage and dancing to the beat of the drum alongside professional dancer Nelson Mathew Gonzalez. For almost an hour the Staples auditorium turned into a fiesta of music and dance.

Flores has had the privilege to write for some of the most prestigious newspapers in the country such as The New York Times, the Village Voice and Newsweek about her love and enthusiasm for Latin music. It is no surprise that her passion shined through and reached the entire audience.

“People of all races and backgrounds can connect with Latin music and through my performing, I want to teach that,” said Flores.

While Zon del Barrio’s music kept the audience rocking in and out of their seats throughout the performance, the band’s knowledge of the music’s history was also shown.

Patricia Apoian, a member of the Westport PTA Cultural Arts Community, who was helpful in bringing Zon del Barrio to Staples said, “throughout the year we are funded by the parents of Westport to help bring groups such as Zon del Barrio to enrich the student body while having a good time.”

While some school districts have performances that may not have that much to do with curriculum, Staples and the other public schools in Westport have been fortunate enough to view numerous talented artists throughout the years. They have all brought their own flare to the performances while enhancing the education of students.

“I thought it was a fun and interactive way to teach us about music that I did not know that much about. I also loved dancing on stage with the dancers and my friends,” said Daniel Navarro ’11 who participated in the Latin dances.

“What we want to accomplish with our band is to prove to people that Latin music doesn’t discriminate between ages, religion, or races. Instead it has a powerful history that makes you want to groove every time you hear it, said Flores.