CELEBRATING THE HISTORY
OF EASTERN OREGON
CULTURE & HERITAGE
3
FEBRUARY 16�23, 2022
Celebrate The Big Read with salsa dancing lessons
By Lisa Britton
Go! Magazine
L
A GRANDE — Amelia Diaz
Ettinger’s earliest memory
of dancing was in Puerto Rico,
when she was 4.
“A little boy asked me to
dance,” she said. “I’ve danced
all my life. Dancing is such a vital
part of people’s health.”
This month she’s sharing her
knowledge of salsa dancing as
part of The Big Read events at Art
Center East. This year’s featured
book is “The House on Mango
Street” by Sandra Cisneros.
Ettinger has recorded four
mini lessons that will be re-
leased at 1 p.m. Feb. 23, 24,
25 and 26. The videos will go
live on ACE’s YouTube chan-
nel, or access them at www.
artcentereast.org/calendar/sal-
sa-dancing-with-amelia-diaz-
ettinger/ or fi shtrap.org.
Art Center East/Contributed image
Amelia Diaz Ettinger will teach
salsa dancing lessons online, Feb.
23-26, as part of The Big Read
events in Union County. This year’s
featured book is “The House on
Mango Street.”
Ettinger has a history with
teaching this style of dance —
she introduced salsa to her class-
es at La Grande High School,
where she taught for 21 years.
“That was part of my curricu-
lum,” she said.
Salsa, she said, is not diffi cult
to learn.
“The steps in salsa are fairly
easy,” she said. “I break it down,
and there’s a really clear de-
scription of the count.”
Salsa can be fast or slow.
“The steps we use for the
videos are moderately slow,”
she said.
Mainly, she hopes people
have a good time learning a bit
of cultural dancing — all in the
comfort of their living room.
“I think it’ll be fun,” she said.
“You don’t have to be excellent
at it to enjoy it. It’s not trying to
strike perfection.”
Plus, these lessons are free.
“I hope people take advan-
tage of it — salsa lessons are ex-
pensive,” she said with a laugh.
Her lessons are to the music
“Candela” by the Buena Vista
Social Club, which was recorded
in 1997 as a collection of Cuban
songs played by musicians in
their 60s, 70s and 80s.
“I want to pay an homage to
them,” Ettinger said of the band.
FEBRUARY BIG READ EVENTS
Our Neighborhood: Writing About Home
Saturday, Feb. 19, 3 p.m.
Cook Memorial Library
Participants will doodle a neighborhood map and write stories
from memories. Supplies provided. Appropriate for all ages,
especially for families writing together. Youth younger than 10
should be accompanied by an adult. Masks required in buildings.
Read-Around
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.
EOU Library Reading Room
For EOU students, adults and children ages 10 and older.
Participants will read aloud from “The House on Mango
Street” or just listen. Copies will be available in English and
Spanish. Masks required in campus buildings.
ABOUT THE BIG READ
“The House on Mango Street”
is a 1984 novel by Mexican-
American author Sandra Cis-
neros. Structured as a series
of vignettes, it tells the story of
Esperanza Cordero, a 12-year-
old Chicana girl growing up in
the Hispanic quarter of Chicago.
The Big Read is a way for an
entire community to read and
experience the same book by
providing copies to libraries and
schools. Organizations in Wal-
lowa and Union counties have
planned events in February and
March based on the book — for
the full schedule and updates,
visit www.fi shtrap.org or www.
artcentereast.org.
Gourmet Provisions,
Majestic Pizza,
Wine & Beer Bottle Wonderland,
Dedicated Tap House,
Craft Cocktails,
Espresso Bar, Local & Far-Out Deli
403 S. Main Street Pendleton • 541.276.1350
Book Discussion
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m.
EOU Library Reading Room
For EOU students, teens and adults. Copies of the book
are available to read in advance from the EOU Library, Cook
Memorial Library, and Art Center East, but all are invited to listen,
regardless of having read. Masks required in campus buildings
Read-Around
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m.
Art Center East, 1006 Penn Ave.
Book Discussion
Wednesday, Feb. 23, noon
Live online at fi shtrap.org
For EOU events, community members can park on Sixth Street
or visit the kiosk on the north side of Loso Hall to purchase a
parking pass for $2, good for visitor spaces on the east side of
Badgley Hall (north of Loso Hall) and for unmarked spaces on the
west side of Badgley Hall or in the lot south of Loso Hall.