Lamplighter welcomed the Alcuin School Folk Dance Group to campus on January 29 as part of cultural lessons of Lamplighter’s world language Spanish curriculum. Third and fourth grade students participated in an assembly, highlighting the music, dances, and culture of Argentina, which hosted by performers from Alcuin School. Lamplighter alumna Isabelle Mendell ’19, a recent Lamplighter graduate who now attends Alcuin School, served as the presenter at the assembly. Isabelle introduced the folk dance group and shared facts about the country and culture of Argentina.

The Alcuin School performances included “El Minue” and “El Gato” dances, popular in Bueons Aires and Northern Argentina, respectively. Lamplighter students were invited to participate in learning the “El Carnavalito,” a popular dance in Argentina and Bolivia. All students enthusiastically joined hands and followed the lead of the visiting folk dance group. After the assembly, the Alcuin students were invited to join Lamplighter’s fourth graders for a South American-themed lunch. Cook Gym was transformed into a “restaurant,” complete with waiters and waitresses accepting orders in Spanish as a means for students to practice their language skills.