A joyous birthday celebration with Más Flow

I did not know what to expect from my first student dance performance here at Princeton. Although we may be scholars and ballers, I had little insight on how stylishly we could salsa or how magnificently we could merengue. But after attending Friday night’s show of Más Flow’s 10th anniversary dance production, I can wholeheartedly assert that the spirit of Latin dance here at Princeton is very much alive and thriving.

While I may not possess a great understanding of dance and choreography, I do know a thing or two about reading the reaction of a crowd. From the moment the show began to its final moment, the entirety of the audience, myself included, was thoroughly captivated and charmed by the exciting dance moves, comedic sideshows, and evident charisma of the dancers themselves. No one at the show could deny the exponential engagement of the attendees: From screams and shouts to wholesome laughter, the audience created a vivacious and welcoming environment for the evening.

The intersection of costuming and dance particularly stood out to me. The excellent lighting of the stage for each dance not only beautifully accentuated the movement, but also the fashion. From brightly-colored flowing skirts to four-inch heels to Más Flow sweats, I found the variety of attire between pieces to be incredibly fun and unique.

I was also wholeheartedly engaged by the diversity of the dances. The 17 performances all carried different artistic and cultural styles, highlighting the rich diversity that exists within Latin dance. Even a casual observer could see the great amount of pre-planning and practice necessary to perform so fluidly. “Seductora,” the heels performance, was especially captivating — dancing is hard enough, but dancing in four-inch heels takes the cake. From Salsa to Reggaetón and Bachata to Brazilian Funk, each dance was choreographed wonderfully.

What I enjoyed most about the performance, aside from the exquisite dancing, was the sense of community that permeated the atmosphere of the room. It was evident, based on the smiles of both the many members of Más Flow and the audience, that pure excitement and happiness was the theme of the evening — a theme that they pulled off wonderfully.

“I am so grateful for the Más Flow community because they are all so welcoming and fun to be around with. It is truly a family with so much love and support. As a Latina, I feel inspired by our performances and workshops,“ Más Flow member Nicole Torres ’26 said.

“The variety of genres and styles that we can explore and perform make it an exciting learning opportunity for all of us. The ‘La Fiesta del Año’ dance show was truly one of my best experiences here at Princeton and I wanted to thank our entire dance company for making it possible. I am really looking forward to continuing my involvement next year!” Torres continued.

Olivia Hoppe-Spink ’26, another member of the dance crew, added, “Más Flow has been the most amazing community here at Princeton, and I am so lucky to get to be a part of la familia! Not only do we come together to dance and put on amazing performances, but the people there have become some of my closest friends and I love getting to hang out with them!”

It is evident that the idea of a strong community is one that elevates this group’s performance to the next level.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Más Flow! May you have many more birthday celebrations to come.

Anthony Nathan is a contributing writer for The Prospect at the ‘Prince’ from San Francisco, California. He can be reached at an4373[at]princeton.edu or [at]anthony_nate_ on Instagram.