‘¡Ritmo!’ 2025 brings art, soul and celebration to campus
The Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice hosted its annual ¡Ritmo! showcase Feb. 3, filling the Grand Hall with music, dance, poetry and Latine culture. This year’s event, themed “Arte y Alma (Art and Soul),” brought students together by highlighting the connection between artistic expression and cultural identity.
HACER President Camila DeAlba said, ¡Ritmo! went beyond a showcase to demonstrate resilience and pride.
“With everything happening in the world today, it’s important for Latine students to have a space where they feel seen and celebrated,” said DeAlba, a Jones College senior. “Art, music and dance are powerful ways to express who we are, and that’s what we wanted to highlight this year.”
The event featured a mix of performances and storytelling, blending traditional and contemporary Latine art forms. Attendees watched dance routines, a mariachi performance, spoken word pieces and, for the first time, a documentary series highlighting the experiences of Hispanic and Latine staff at Rice.
For many performers, ¡Ritmo! was a chance to connect with their roots and share a cultural connection with the Rice community.
“I grew up listening to this music, but I never really performed it anymore,” Maria Contreras, a Hanszen College junior, said. “Getting up on stage and bringing a part of Venezuelan culture to Rice was really special.”
Nancy Martinez, a member of the Mariachi Luna Llena group, said the energy in the room was electric.
“Mariachi is about passion, about spirit,” Martinez, a Jones College sophomore, said. “We play songs that people love, and when they start singing along or shouting for more, it feels incredible.”
Attendees danced along to performances, creating an atmosphere of joy and connection, according to Martinez.
“I love that ¡Ritmo! isn’t just about watching performances — it’s about experiencing the culture firsthand,” Firas Elkaissi, a Will Rice College senior, said. “The moment people got up to dance, it felt like a real fiesta.”
The theme Arte y Alma was incorporated into many aspects of the event, from the visual art displays to the fashion showcase featuring traditional Latine attire. DeAlba said these additions were meant to elevate ¡Ritmo! beyond a performance and into a full cultural experience.
“This year, we wanted to go bigger and create something that really honored all the different aspects of our culture,” DeAlba said. “Whether through dance, music or visual art, we wanted people to see how creativity and identity are deeply linked.”
A day before the showcase, the event organizers realized their stage was too small for the performances. Members of the Hispanic community called friends, family and local contacts to secure a new stage in time for the event.
“We had to find a whole new stage the night before,” Melissa Mar, a Duncan College senior and the cultural events chair, said. “It was a scramble, but it just shows how strong our community is. We asked around, called people who might know someone, and by the next morning, we had a new stage that actually fit our performers.”
The showcase also introduced a new documentary segment, spotlighting Hispanic and Latine staff at Rice, including faculty members and Housing and Dining workers.
Mar said it was important to give visibility to those whose contributions to the university often go unrecognized.
“We wanted to tell their stories because they’re a part of our community too,” Mar said. “Seeing the audience cheer for them, recognizing them on screen — it was a really emotional moment.”
As ¡Ritmo! came to a close, performers and attendees reflected on the event as a space for joy, unity and cultural pride.
“I think this was one of the best ¡Ritmo! showcases we’ve ever had,” Mar said. “People felt engaged, the performances were incredible and, at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about — bringing people together through our culture.”
For Daniel Plascencia and Lizeth Mendoza who performed together for the first time, the experience was something they’ll never forget.
“I feel like this is going to go down in the history books as one of the best performances ever,” Plascencia, a Will Rice College senior, said. “Because we were in it, obviously.”
Mendoza agreed, saying the experience gave her a new perspective.
“It’s one thing to be in the audience, but being part of the show makes you appreciate the energy in the room in a totally different way,” Mendoza, a Martel senior, said.
Looking forward, HACER hopes to continue expanding ¡Ritmo! by fostering more cross-cultural collaborations and growing its impact on campus, according to DeAlba.
“This event gets bigger every year,” DeAlba said. “We’re already thinking about how we can make it even more inclusive and immersive next time.”
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