Calentón Hispanic Music Festival Celebrates Cultures Through Song and Dance

On October 14th, four SU organizations united to bring the Calentón Hispanic Music Festival to Goldstein Auditorium. DJ Exxtra, Raíces Dance Troup, and reggaeton star Maldy put on an electric show.

Words By Sofia Quintero / Photos by Isabella Flores / Graphic by Lily Greco

On October 14th, Syracuse University held its first-ever Hispanic Music Festival, Calentón, in Goldstein Auditorium. Organized by Spanish Language club Las Naranjas, Latinx group La L.U.C.H.A., the Student Association, and Orange After Dark, the event was free to all SU and ESF students. 

Calentón was the perfect event to commemorate Latinx Heritage Month, bringing together people of all backgrounds and cultures to enjoy the beauty and energy of Spanish music and dance. Performers included DJ Exxtra, Raíces Dance Troupe, and reggaeton artist Maldy as the headliner. 

From the minute the doors opened, DJ Exxtra kept the crowd hyped, playing a setlist of songs that everyone could enjoy. He played popular hits like “Tití Me Preguntó” by Bad Bunny and niche songs like “El Tiburón" by Proyecto Uno, a balance I personally enjoyed as many DJs stay within the most mainstream artists. 

DJ Exxtra’s effort to make every nationality feel represented was also admirable. He gave shoutouts to all the Latin American countries and chose to play songs from the countries of specific crowd members who he saw bringing good energy. For those who grew up with Spanish music, hearing classics like “Suavemente” by Elvis Crespo and “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee was exciting. Overall, DJ Exxtra did an excellent job building up the energy for the night.  

Raíces Dance Troupe followed DJ Exxtra’s set with a performance that had the crowd going crazy. The dance heavily reflected Calentón’s celebration of reggaeton and perreo, a dance style associated with reggaeton. The crowd could not get enough of Raíces’ hip swaying and twerking, and cheers could be heard throughout the entirety of their performance as well as long after they left the stage. 

At around 10 p.m., Maldy took the stage. Many may know him as a former member of Plan B, but since 2022 Maldy has been working on his solo career. He alluded to his past singing songs such as “Candy” and “Es un Secretro” by Plan B, while also playing some of his more recent tracks like “GATUBELA,” a Karol G song on which he features. Maldy’s tagline, “sin Maldy no hay perreo” (‘Without Maldy, there is no perreo’), was emphasized through his backup dancers’ seductive dancing. The crowd was electric, singing along with Maldy while waving around light-up foam sticks that were handed out upon entering. 

The festival accomplished its goal of creating a space for Latinx people to be celebrated and share their culture with other backgrounds. An event that was clearly enjoyed by those in attendance, Calentón deserves to be added to the lineup of annual concerts Syracuse offers to its students.