The Senorita Comite Pro Bolivia 2014 pageant was held last Saturday at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington (Va) with Ms. Deidy Cordero-Teran, representing Morenada Bolivia USA, elected as this year’s winner.
The Northern Virginia based Comite pro Bolivia has for over two decades continuously strived to promote and teach here in the United States the rituals, dances and beliefs of Bolivia’s unique culture in an ongoing celebration of that culture through events and activities open to people of all backgrounds.
Most of the events take place in the Washington, DC area where there exists a large Bolivian community with many Bolivians participating in one of over 35 traditional folkloric dance groups. The organization also aims to keep alive those cultural traditions among Bolivians who have migrated into the United States and for future generations of Bolivians born or raised here in the states.
Saturday’s pageant was the 24th annual. For Nelly Zapata, the organization’s president, the pageant has changed over the years.
The pageant before was just to crown a Queen,” Zapata stated. “Nowadays it’s getting very competitive. The girls prepare themselves for a long time especially to become fluent in Spanish. Most of the girls are born in USA, a few of them are born outside the states. Miss Pro Bolivia has a big responsibility now, first to create some events in order to fundraise money for the Ilumina scholarship and the needy people back home in Bolivia.”
The ten finalists each represent one of the folkloric dance groups. The annual pageant enhances the beauty of the young dancers and their cultural roots.
The other finalists were: Rossana Espinoza representing Alma Boliviana; Misla Astete, Centro Cultural Bolivia; Patricia Pinto Via, Embajadores del Folklore; Rocio Vargas, Tinkus San Simon, Yoselin Ricaldi Hurtado, FFCCU San Simon Va; Andrea Iriarte, FFC Ruphay; Jessica Baptista, FSCB Diablada; Aileen Jasmine Sainz, Tinkus Tiataco and Melanie Yapura, Tradiciones Bolivianas.
For further information about Comite Pro Bolivia, please visit: http://www.proboliviausa.org/.
