Last  Friday night, a dance party sponsored by the Spanish and Latin Student Association (SALSA) was held at Cozumel Restaurant on Walnut Street in Shadyside. Cozumel, an authentic Mexican restaurant during the day, turns into a bar and club at night. The dance party was one of several events sponsored by Carnegie Mellon and SALSA to promote Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15.

As soon as partygoers entered Cozumel, they could hear the Latin music playing. The music included a mix of: merengue, salsa, bachata, reggaeton, hip-hop, Latin pop, reggae, and R&B, all played by DJ Marshall Lindsey. The dance floor was already filling up. One student waved the Mexican flag and danced proudly with a woman by his side screaming, "Viva Mexico!"

As the party went on, more and more people went onto the dance floor. The bar became so crowded that it took nearly half an hour to get a drink, and everyone had to squeeze by to get the bartenders' attention. As the dance floor and the restaurant became more crowded, the DJ branched away from strictly Latin music and started playing hip-hop, pop, and R&B.

All the guests had smiles on their faces, were dancing and talking with their friends, or sitting and admiring the view. There were people of all ethnicities, ages, and majors in attendance.

"The party was so much fun and so crowded. It had to be one of the most successful parties SALSA has ever had." said Eliberty Jimenez, a junior HSS student.

Marissa Diaz, an HSS junior and president of SALSA, said, "[The party] was fantastic for SALSA because we got to meet a lot of people and got them interested in joining. As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, we got the chance to celebrate our culture with the campus community. People came to attend a fun party with music they usually don't get to hear in Pittsburgh."

Diaz deemed the SALSA Latin party a great success. She estimated that over 450 people attended the event in all. The profits from the event will be used to fund future SALSA events. To obtain information about other Hispanic Heritage Month events, visit the Student Affairs website.