Latin Sol Dance Festival celebrates 10th event
This April, the Latin Sol Festival celebrated its 10th event at ASU. Photo by Tim Trumble
Outside the Nelson Fine Arts Center, partners spin and dance to the rhythm of a live band. It’s the closing night of the 2026 Latin Sol Dance Festival, and the feeling is celebratory.
This free dance festival — which held its 10th event at Arizona State University this April — is run by students, for students. It is the longest-running salsa dance festival in Arizona, and it features a weekend full of workshops, social dances, live music and dance performances.
Catelyn Chang is an accelerated master’s student studying biology. One of the co-directors of this year’s event, she decided to get involved after attending her first Latin Sol event in 2024.
“I quickly fell in love with the culture and dance,” Chang said. “What stood out to me most was how accessible the workshops were for all levels, especially as someone who was new to Latin dance styles at the time. The community felt incredibly immersive and welcoming, which made the experience even more meaningful.”
The student committee plans and organizes the entire event, including logistics and marketing. With more than 1,000 participants, it’s a huge undertaking. This year featured more than a dozen guest artists, including Mario “B” Gonzalez, Latin Hustle experts Ahtoy Juliana and Edwin Tolentino, and Bryan Hernandez from SabroSoul Dance Academy in San Diego.
“What really stood out to me is the energy here,” Hernandez said. “You’ve built a really amazing community.”
David Olarte, clinical assistant professor of dance, started the event in 2017 and continues to mentor the students who coordinate the event. But he’s quick to credit the students who step up year after year and bring their own vision and energy to the festival.
"Students are the focal point of our learning environment, and with Latin Sol Festival, it is where our salsa community and Afro-Latin culture intersect on campus," Olarte said. "Students see themselves in how they can contribute to the festival, and it's those contributions that continue to make an impact for future Latin Sol Dance Festivals to come."
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The Latin Sol Festival's closing event featured live dance performances by students and dance teams, as well as a live band.
Photo by Tim Trumble
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Participants chose from more than 20 free dance workshops, taught by experts from across the country.
Photo by Kormac Moore
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On the first night, students participated in a social dance outside the new Mill Avenue Student Housing residence hall.
Photo by Kormac Moore
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Workshops were held in dance rooms throughout the Nelson Fine Arts Center and the new Mill Avenue Student Housing dance studio. More than 1,000 people participated in the weekend celebration.
Photo by Kormac Moore
Latin Sol is held every spring at the Tempe campus as part of the Sol Motion series in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre. To learn more about this and other events, visit musicdancetheatre.asu.edu/events.
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