A MOMENT CAPTURED:

World of dance; spirit of holidays

Tiffany Brown

Originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, UNLV hotel management student, Roxana Sanchez, 23, rehearses the Chiapanecas, a traditional folk dance, at the Flamingo Library on Wednesday afternoon.

By Tiffany Brown (contact)

Friday, Dec. 5, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Cultural dancers

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

Roxana Sanchez, a UNLV student who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, is rehearsing a traditional folk dance, the Chiapanecas, at the Flamingo Library.

“My teacher, Margo, always calls me a butterfly and it is like a butterfly, you just come out and open the wings (of the dress) and just dance,” Sanchez, 23, says. “For me it’s a stress reliever. Dancing is just for me. I don’t have to worry about anybody else.

“It represents my culture. It’s something I felt I was missing when I moved to Las Vegas. It’s learning about my culture, and learning about myself.”

Sanchez and other dancers, including professional performers from shows on the Strip, will perform cultural dances from around the world in the Holiday Dance Festival at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

The performance is free.

Sanchez graduates in two weeks with a hotel management degree.

“Like any college student I’m going to try and find a job, and get some experience — but keep dancing.”

Live chat: Tuesday, noon PST; Chat with Krista Creelman; Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question