The Serious Message in Shakira and J. Lo’s Halftime Show
With an overwhelming spectacle, the two stars acknowledged that Latin identity is bigger than any one performance.
This was a halftime show split in half, almost at war with itself. For the first part, the great whirling Shakira kept low to the ground and close to the body. The 43-year-old Colombian phenom appeared on a platform but quickly descended to the level of her dancers, where tassels and hips swayed by gravity-bound logic: side to side, forward then back. Shakira’s wide-ranging pop, viewers were reminded, emphasizes folksy, storied, place-specific lineages such as cumbia, reggaeton, and Latin rock. It showcases tangible instruments: brass, violins, a
