I appreciated D.J. Palladino’s recent In Memoriam piece about Luis Goena, and I got to the memorial for Luis thanks to D.J.’s mention of it in his article. The location, at the Oak Park dance platform, could not have been more appropriate. As expected, there was a large group of Luis’s family and friends, dancing nonstop to the continuous music that was playing. It was too dark to photograph by the time I left for a dinner, but the dancing showed no sign of slowing down.
What touched me the most was the feeling that this was the most powerful memorial tribute, unspoken, that I had ever witnessed. As each song began, some people would take a break, other would step forward, and I would watch as dozens of pairs of feet followed the particular set of steps associated with each dance, all changing together at the prescribed moments in the song, all guided in this process through the inspiration and direction of Luis Goena. What a joyous and extraordinary legacy to leave behind!