Teens take advantage of day off from school to be hosts of Latin dance party to promote cultural diversity

QUINCY — When granted a day off from school, most teenagers choose to spend the day playing video games, watching Netflix or running around with their friends.

Xavier Richardson and his friends Chris Tu and Austin Mondon are unlike most teenagers.

Richardson, a freshman at Quincy High School, Tu and Mondon, both sophomores, teamed up with dance instructor Ignacio Anguiano-Reyes to offer a free Latin dance class on Monday morning at the Quincy Senior and Family Resource Center, 639 York.

“We wanted to do something that was educational and good for the public,” Richardson said. “We also wanted to tie it with culture.”

In addition to being Columbus Day and Indigenous People’s Day, Monday was also one of the last days of Hispanic Heritage Month, observed annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

Richardson’s mother, Christine Richardson, helped the boys put the event together.

“(The boys) feel like, you know, this world is a big, diversified world, and not all the Quincy kids have the opportunity to go travel,” Christine said. “(So) bring it here to them.”

Attendees learned how to dance the meringue and the Cuban variation of the salsa.

“It’s smooth,” Anguiano-Reyes said. “Suave.”

Anguiano-Reyes, 82, has been teaching Latin dance classes for more than 25 years. He started dancing as a young child in Mexico City at family celebrations of various Catholic sacraments. He said dancing his entire life has kept him in great shape over the years.

“I am a blessed person,” he said, “(for the ability to keep) dancing.”

Anguiano-Reyes offers Latin dance lessons at John Wood Community College. The next session begins Oct. 30 and will take place on Wednesday nights from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Nov. 20.