On Saturday, Sept. 21, families gathered at The Patchogue Theatre to commemorate the Sixth Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration.

Talented and hardworking performers used music, acting, movement, and dancing to share their diverse and beautiful culture with the Patchogue community.

Latino Leadership Connect (LLC) organized the celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which kicked off on Sept. 15. The performances were a testament to the contributions of the Latino culture to society.

The first performance captures the spirit of the Dominican Carnival festival. Three dancers donned elaborate, colorful costumes representing “Diablos Cojuelos,” a familiar figure in Dominican carnival festivities. Upbeat tracks such as “Latinos” by Proyecto Uno filled the theater. Some audience members got up and danced. Everyone in the crowd was given balloons and light sticks.

A young group of musicians from Long Island shared their passion for Latin music, specifically Bachata, a genre of music and dance that originated in the Dominican Republic. It is known for its romantic lyrics often about heartbreak. It combines elements from other styles of merengue and Cuban music, However, Bachatu breaks away from the traditional style and gives it a modern twist.

Host Anthony Fernandez referred to their style as the iPhone of Bachata. Members of the audience were mesmerized by lead singer Gissel Garcia’s Shakira-like vocals and intense guitar solos by Gary Salgado. It was almost impossible not to dance.

Sol Y Sombra Spanish Dance Company dancers have performed various forms of Spanish and Hispanic Latin music and dance for 30 years. Under the artistic direction of Maria Loreta, professional dancers performed flamenco, Spanish classical, Mexican, Tango, and Latin X-style dances. Six dances were performed.

Six young performers told a series of stories about immigrants coming to America and their trials. It was called “Nuestra Historia,” which translates to “Our Story.” Without speaking a single word, they used dance and movement to tell their story. The score was beautiful and emotional and flowed as smoothly as the actors themselves. Each story was filled with fear, fun, romance, and excitement.

Each performance brought the spirit of Hispanic culture to Patchogue and showed the importance of cultural exchange and connection in the community.