Dale Duro Latin Dance Co. (DDLDC), a Northwestern Latin dance team, hosted its annual Spring show, “Dale Duro: Worldwide,” in Ryan Auditorium on Friday and Saturday.

The show made heavy use of well-known artists like Bad Bunny, Shakira and Pitbull, who inspired the theme of Dale Duro: Worldwide. The show also included some bangers from Rauw Alejandro and Manuel Turizo. Additionally, many different types of Latin dance styles were showcased, ranging from bachata, reggaeton and salsa to lesser-known styles such as dance hall and zapateado.

Dale Duro kicked it off with Weinberg fourth-year Alex Reyes dressed up as Bad Bunny, performing a piece in the style of reggaeton and urban pop.

The opening performance to "Dale Duro: Worldwide," starring "Bad Bunny."

Dale Duro host and SESP fourth-year Gerardo Rodriguez came onstage to entertain the audience between dances. Through his masterful lines, he kept the packed Ryan auditorium laughing as the dancers did quick costume changes backstage. The audience also got to learn a little about Rodriguez, who’s from Florida and doesn’t like to wear pants — always wearing shorts instead.

Rodriguez joked that just as Pitbull’s M.I.A.M.I. stands for “Money Is a Major Issue,” the song’s title can also be taken literally in the case of Dale Duro’s fundraising.  

As the dancers fast-walked into their positions in the darkened auditorium, the audience hollered words of encouragement and cheered on their friends. One group of audience members held signs made from La Croix boxes decorated with pictures of a dancer.

Weinberg fourth-year Lily Meng joined Dale Duro this year. During the fall, Meng studied abroad in Granada, Spain. There, she decided to take a Flamenco class “to get out of [her] comfort zone and to explore Spanish culture a bit more,” she said. According to Wikipedia, Flamenco is "an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Murcia."

Meng said she enjoyed her Flamenco class and wanted to continue dancing when she returned to campus during winter quarter.

“I joined [Dale Duro] back here on campus because I heard it was a pretty inclusive group and they were super beginner friendly,” she said.

Meng’s experience showcases how welcoming Dale Duro is to beginners: Many performers in the Spring show were doing so for the first time.

In addition to new dancers, Dale Duro's inclusive and collaborative environment attracted a diverse crowd.

An audience made up of friends of performers, Spanish learners and people from the Latinx community showed up to create a boisterous atmosphere. Throughout the show, the audience continued to cheer, holler and clap along with the songs. The vibes were immaculate and the energy was electric.

One performance that riled up the crowd was the dance by Communication third-year Alexandra Romo and David Resendiz, a guest dancer from Chicago. The pair performed four different styles of dance: bachata, merengue, cumbia and zapateado.

Alexandra Romo and David Resendiz performing their dance to a music medley. 

Sticking with the Pitbull theme, the seniors danced to a myriad of Pitbull bangers that are must-haves at ultimate frisbee parties (because those are the only parties I attend).

The show ended with all of the performers dancing on stage and through the aisles, displaying the size of their ever-growing dance group.

Even if you aren't on stage next year, definitely show up for their show. Dale Duro was a time for both dancers and the audience.

However, Meng strongly urged anyone who liked what they saw to consider joining next year.

“The show is really fun and they're really, really big and friendly. So definitely consider joining!” she said.