Some bad news, and some holiday cheer

First the bad news: UNC performing ensemble Charanga Carolina will be taking a break until Fall 2009, while Director David F. Garcia takes a semester of sabbatical leave. We (charanga fans) will greatly miss them, but I wish David well in his research and writing. They went out with a bang on 12/2 with the Salsa/Swing Dance in the new Kenan Music Building. The UNC Jazz Band led by Jim Ketch opened with a lot of refined swing, animating a large turnout of swing dancers. Jim later sat in with Charanga and took a trumpet solo, cued by his former student Alberto Carrasquillo.

In the meantime, I plan to console my sorrow with as much Orquesta GarDel as I can get, starting with the big holiday dance this Saturday (12/13) at George's Garage. The "Black & White Latin Night" will feature two sets of live salsa, bookending mambo performances by the Cobo Brothers Dance Company, Annie Zendejas & Natalia Weedy, and Jose “Bernardo” De la Vega.

Copa Night regulars, be advised that admission is $20 at the door, $15 if you follow the party theme and wear "all black" or "all white."[Note: see revision below.] A limited number of advanced tickets will be sold for $10 at the NCSalsa.com website until Wednesday, 12/10, at the latest.

UPDATED Saturday 12/13: Be advised that door policy has changed for this event. See latest posting here.