GENERAL QUESTIONS
                   
How are Dominican music and dance represented and how is this different from other Latino cultures we know? Do they all have the same level of social, political and cultural consciousness? How are a national identity and the experience of mestizaje tied to these processes?


GENERAL OBJECTIVES
                   
Familiarize the participants with the history and cultural traditions of the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean, through the exposure and study of Dominican popular music and dance genres paying particular attention to groups that have been previously excluded from a fair cultural representation and access to material resources.

Promote cultural exchange between Latino/as from different regions of the Americas, and develop ideas for proposals for Latino/as and non-Latino/as coming together through music, dance and solidarity.

To see the student´s final works, click here.





Friday, March 11        1:00 pm    Arrival of Delegation students / Pick up at the airport / settling in the university residence

3:30 pm    Late Lunch
5:00 pm    Introduction and Orientation with Karin Weyland, president of the Melassa Foundation / Discussion of activities for the week
6:30 pm    Snack





Saturday, March 12        8:30 am    Breakfast

9:30 am    Talk with Juan Rodriguez, “Folk music and the genre of atavales/palos”
12:30 pm    Lunch at the residence
1:30 pm    Leave for a community in San Cristobal and share music with a group of Paleros
6:30 pm    In-group Reflection with Snacks–time to reflect on the experience, Q&A session
7:30 pm    Free Time for dinner and entertainment




Sunday, March 13         8:30 am    Breakfast

9:00 am    Trip to Bonao, for the Carnaval (2-hours away)
12:30 pm    Lunch on the Go
6:30 pm    Dinner at the residence
7:30 pm    Free time




Monday, March 14        8:30 am    Breakfast

9:00 am    Trip to San Pedro
10:00 am    Visit the Folk Group “Guloya’s”, afro-descendants of the British Caribbean islands.
12:30 pm    Lunch at the park
1:30 pm     Visit to the Ingenio Quisqueya (sugar mill), and Batey Carrotillo, Meet a group of Dominican youth of Haitian descent who grew up in the batey—sugar cane workers’ communities—and who have a band and play popular/reggae music
6:30 pm     Dinner at the residence
7:30 pm    Optional: Night out at Casa de Teatro (Café/Bar) at the Colonial City, Different Artists every night.  Transportation, Cover and drinks: U$15-20 per person   




Tuesday, March 15        8:30 am    Breakfast

9:00 am    Visit to the Museum of Dominican Man, Screening of the Video “Congo Pa’ Ti: Afro-Latino Identity in Dominican culture”
10:30 am    Talk with Carlos Hernández Soto, director of the Museum of Dominican Man,  “African Influence on Dominican Culture: The community of the Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit, Villa Mella”.
12:30 pm    Lunch
2:00 pm    Trip to the community of Mata de Los Indios, Villa Mella to share music and dance with the Brotherhood of the Congos of the Holy Spirit and students from the Santo Domingo Institute of Technology (INTEC)--(40'away)
6:30 pm    Snacks
7:30 pm    Free time for dinner and entertainment





Wednesday, March 16    8:30 am    Breakfast

9:00 am    Visit to MUDHA (Dominican/Haitian Women’s Movement) and Batey Palmorejo, talk with “majoral’s families” of the GAGA, haitian descent music born in the Batey—sugar cane communities.
12:30 pm    Lunch at the residence
2:00 pm     Workshop with musician Eddis Sanchez from the National Folk Division
6:30 pm    Snacks
7:30 pm    Free Time for Dinner
9:30 pm    The Rutgers Salsa Band plays at Casa de Teatro





Thursday, March 17        8:30 am    Breakfast

9:00 am    Colonial City Tour.  Shopping for souvenirs in the Colonial City and Mercado Modelo; Tour of the monuments, the cathedral and the Diego Colón Museum (entrance fee: RD$50).
12:30 pm    Lunch
1:30 pm    Exchange with students from Intec University, Institute of Technology of Santo Domingo
3:30 pm    Talk with Professor Jose Guerrero, “A General Overview of Dominican dance and music from Carnaval and Folk Music to Bachata and Merengue”
6:30 pm    Snacks
8:00 pm    The Rutgers Salsa Band plays at the Museum of Dominican Man


Friday, March 18         8:30 am    Breakfast

9:30 pm     Visit to the Art and Folk Center, director Dagoberto Tejeda. Museum of Dominican folk Carnaval and Talk with Julio Encarnación, “Carnaval and Popular Religiosity”.
12:30 pm    Lunch at the residence
1:30 pm    Procession “La Dolorita” in Villa Mella, community festivity, palos and dance.
6:30 pm    Snacks 
7:30 pm     Optional: Dinner at “El Conuco”, typical Dominican food restaurant from the Cibao region. Cover: U$15-20
9:30 pm     The Rutgers Salsa Band plays at Cubanía, Restaurant/Bar



Saturday, March 19         8:30 am    Breakfast

9:00 pm    Trip to Boca Chica Beach
2:30 pm    Lunch at the residence   
4:00 pm    Talk with artist Dichens Salcedo, “Merengue and Bachata Music, its social history”, dance and music lessons.
6:30 pm    Snacks and final session of Q&A answers (Fill out evaluations)
9:30 pm    The Rutgers Salsa Band plays at Cubanía, Restaurant/Bar




Sunday, March 20         8:30 am    Breakfast
9:30 am    Leave for the airport