The stage of the Las Lagunas Theatre was flooded with Christmas spirit on Tuesday 12th during the first Christmas Gala organised by the 'Universidad Popular'. Around 250 children and adults from the Mijas, Las Lagunas and La Cala workshops of piano, flamenco guitar, flamenco and regional dance and ballet performed in front of family and friends who packed the stalls.  

At the entrance of the Las Lagunas Theatre, a large Christmas photocall, made by the students of Natalia Gómez, a teacher from Las Lagunas, Mijas and La Cala, welcomed the audience, who took the opportunity to take a 'Christmas card' as a souvenir. Behind the scenes, there were nerves but above all a lot of excitement. "We have been preparing this Christmas gala since October", said ballet teacher Feli Gabriel, who noted that this year the large number of students at the UP is "surprising", "in all the groups there are waiting lists, it's wonderful, and not only in my workshops but in all of them in general, and that means that the work that is done is done well and that's wonderful", she added. 

"I am a ballet student and I love the classes, I encourage anyone who wants to sign up, it's very cool", commented ballet student Ana Vanesa Padilla, while rehearsing her choreographies with her classmates minutes before going out to perform. The families, who did not want to miss the show, were also excited. "I am from Malaga and I have come to see my niece who dances in the Christmas Gala. The little ones enjoy this day very much and here we are, the family, to see them and support them", said Noelia Mesa. Another grandmother, who didn't want to miss the performance of her two granddaughters, commented the same: "I love it, it's a very nice, beautiful show. And I dance too, not today, but we have performed many times and I love it". 

Institutional support 

The first Christmas gala of the UP was attended by the mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), the councillor responsible for the Universidad Popular, Melisa Ceballos (PP), as well as several members of the local PSOE group. "This is a moment of coexistence because of the time in which we find ourselves, for us it is also a very important moment to take note of those issues that need to be improved so that together we can make an Open University that is much larger, more diverse and that all those who are listening to us encourage them to be part of it", said the mayoress. 

For her part, Ceballos said that "the children have been preparing for this gala all year and their families are very happy that this day has arrived". The UP councillor took the opportunity to appreciate the work done by the teachers and said that "the UP is a privilege we have here in Mijas, that all children and adults who want to can come to train in whatever they like, whether it is drawing, art, dance, guitar, here we have everything". 

"And I believe that the UP already has many years of experience and above all of transmitting knowledge and it is also a way of keeping the society in which we live active. Between teachers and students, we are undoubtedly planting a very important seed for the municipality", concluded the mayoress, who also took the opportunity to address a few words to the audience at the beginning of the gala. 

On Wednesday 13th the second Christmas Gala by the Open University in Mijas will take place again, at the Las Lagunas Theatre from 17:00 hours. Please remember that you can watch all the shows in their entirety in the section 'Television on demand' at www.mijascomunicacion.com.

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