Editor's Note: If ever the old adage, "kill em' with kindness" has been realized on an international scale, we've seen it over the last few years and even moreso since the U.S. revoked the diplomatic visa of Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez on December 27, 2010. From Venezuela's Citgo mission to provide low-cost heating oil to poor U.S. citizens to programs like this one, introducing people of the United States to Venezuela's rich culture and good will, Venezuela has been winning the hearts and minds of U.S. citizens over the objections and disinformation by the corporate media about the presidency of Hugo Chavez Frias and the Bolivarian revolution.

- Les Blough, Editor

July 11, 2012 - The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the U.S. will host its very first dance workshop for children at its Bolivarian Hall in Washington, DC, from July 17th to August 16th. This activity, which includes nine sessions, aims to have fun while sharing Venezuela’s dance traditions and heritage with young people in the DC area.

The workshop is open to girls aged 8 to 11 and will be taught by Maria Fernanda Rincon of Venezuela, who has extensive experience in the dance world and studied at the recognized arts training school called Dance Venezuela.

The workshop focuses on folk dance, a collection of traditional forms that represent the idiosyncrasies, feelings and experiences of communities in Venezuela and is rooted in the country’s rich multicultural heritage.

The genres that will be taught include Afro-Venezuelan dances like calypso, joropos, pasajes, polo margariteños, and tamunangues. Also included are Hispanic dances like aguinaldos and contradanzas as well as the Indigenous dances known as the maremare, culebra de ipure, and more.

Classes will be divided in two sections: first, an instructional portion in which students will be familiarized with the origins of each dance using videos from different regions in Venezuela; and second, a practical portion consisting of learning and practicing the different steps and moves according to gender.

At the end of the workshop, students will perform a dance recital in which they can demonstrate the skills they developed during the month of learning.

Classes will be held twice a week from 3:00 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. at the cultural space of the Venezuelan Embassy, the Bolivarian Hall, located at 2443 Massachusetts Avenue NW. Space is limited to 10 students.

Those interested may contact the Embassy’s Cultural Office for more information by emailing cultura@venezuela-us.org, or calling 202-342-6809 (please ask for Merlin or Maria Fernanda).

Click here to fill out your registration form and send to: cultura@venezuela-us.org.

Source: Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S.