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After the rains stopped coming down Monday, the crowds flooded back to Festival Latinoamericano.
Monday was the last day of the three-day event. Amid crowded sidewalks, a midway and dozens of vendors, were Marco Greis of South Provo Capoeira and a handful of other capoeira practitioners.
Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art/dance/game combination that involves spinning high kicks and flowing footwork. Though exact origins aren't known, it was likely developed several hundred years ago by slaves in Brazil who disguised their fights as a dance.
At the festival, the crowd sang along as a pair of performers weaved past each other, feet flying.
"Since we're having fun, we try not to kick each other," Greis said.
Several capoeira groups were at the festival, as well as traditional dancers and singers on a main stage.
Earlier in the day, organizers had to wait out the heavy thunderstorms that soaked the valley.
"We were a little nervous about it," said festival vice president Norma Juarez, "It's just taken us a little longer to get going, to get a groove on."
In its seventh year, Festival Latinoamericano drew about 20,000 people on Friday, Saturday and Monday, and had 80 vendors, from banks and Utah Valley University to small Columbian food stands. For the first time, organizers were able to get Center Street closed off between University Avenue and 100 West.
"That helps a lot to bring out the families," Juarez said.
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