"Mambo princess" Griselle Ponce will give a dance performance and workshop in the Triangle on Saturday, August 13. That evening's Copa Night party, hosted by the Cobo Brothers at Mint Restaurant in Raleigh, features live music by the Triangle's elite salsa orchestra, Orquesta GarDel.
Note: The dress theme for the party is no longer "Black and White," as originally advertised, but a dress code of NO JEANS or athletic wear still applies. Please consult the web for full details.
Ms. Ponce, who frequently partners with mambo legend Eddie Torres, will offer a Ladies Styling workshop at the Triangle Dance Studio on Saturday afternoon. Limited advance and package discounts are being offered on the Cobo Brothers' webpage.
The Southern Sacred Steel Conference kicks off this Thursday (3/17) with a free front porch concert at UNC's Center for the Study of the American South. The Allen Boys perform between 5-7 pm. The free, public concert includes an audience conversation moderated by folklorist Robert Stone.
Ticketed events get going on Friday (3/18) the Artscenter, which is hosting the conference exploring steel-guitar-based Black gospel music, with strongholds in Florida and Western NC. Folklorist Stone, who has documented the genre in photographs currently on exhibition at the Artscenter, will give several lectures. On Saturday, headlining artists will give steel guitar master classes. The conference ends Sunday morning with a worship service.
The Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti makes three stops in the Triangle this weekend, offering rare opportunities for cultural exchange while gathering donations to rebuild homes there.
Charanga Carolina performs tonight, Saturday (2/27) at Memorial with the UNC Jazz Band, with featured artists Jason Marsalis and Ivan Renta. For the first time, Charanga and the Jazz Band will perform together on a few arrangements: a classic merengue by Papa Molina arranged for big band and charanga, "La Justicia," and Tito Puente's "El Cayuco." I can't find specific ticket price info on this concert, but assume some admission will be charged at the door at Memorial.
Meanwhile, masterclass sessions this afternoon, Saturday (2/27) in the Kenan Music Building rehearsal hall are FREE and open to the public:
1:00pm-2:15pm Masterclass Sessions Jason Marsalis, drums and vibes Ivan Renta, saxophone and jazz improvisation
2:30-4:00pm Workshop on Latin Jazz With Charanga Carolina, David Garcia, Director With UNC Jazz Band, Jim Ketch, director With guests: Ivan Renta, tenor sax; Jason Marsalis, drums
As of 5 pm Friday, the festival weekend with Charanga Carolina and Eddie Torres is ON. Passing on Betto's press release:
SPECIAL NOTE FROM MAMBO DINAMICO: Hello guys, The most important news is that we are going to have the event. Don't allow a little bit of snow to intimidate you!!!
Here are some tips for you to drive safe on winter weather:
1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you. 2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake. 3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists. 4. Keep your lights and windshield clean. 5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills. 6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads. 7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges. 8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind. 9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
See you guys tonight! Betto
FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENING PARTY PASSES AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR!!!
Mambo Dinamico is featuring Eddie Torres at their 8th Year Anniversary. Eddie Torres is an amazing instructor and choreographer. Most of the top dancers teaching and performing Salsa all over the world have learned from EddieTorres or have been inspired by his videos, choreographies, and dancers. He is recognized by the world Salsa community as the King of Mambo. Eddie Torres' partner is none other than Griselle Ponce.
Griselle Ponce is one of the top ladies stylest in the world with an enchanting charisma on stage as well as on the dance floor. She has been teaching and performing throughout the world for over 10 years.
It is an honor to have Eddie Torres in North Carolina and it is a great oppurtunity for you to witness this icon light up the stage with his beautiful partner Griselle Ponce.
The weekend line-up also includes Paso Fino from Atlanta, Dulcinea from Asheville, Rodrigo and Cristina from Chicago, and North Carolina's very own Mambo Dinamico, CoboBrothers Dance Company, and Charanga Carolina.
SCHEDULE Welcome Party at Carmen's Cuban Cafe & Lounge on Friday, January 29th – 10pm-2:30am Workshops at Capitol VIP (formerly Red's) on Saturday January 30th – 12pm-4pm Anniversary Party at Capitol VIP (formerly Red's) on Saturday January 30th – 9pm-2:30am Workshops at Capitol VIP (formerly Red's) on Sunday January 31st – 12pm-4pm
Local dance company Mambo Dinamico celebrates its 8th anniversary this weekend a visit by "Mambo King" Eddie Torres, numerous other guests who will present workshops, and live music by Charanga Carolina. This will be Torres' first appearance in North Carolina.
Torres, former stage dancer with Tito Puente, is known as one of the leading instructors in New York mambo. He will partner with Griselle Ponce for a show during Saturday night's party at Capital VIP (formerly Red's) in Raleigh.
Charanga Carolina provides live music for a dance party following Saturday's show; Capital VIP is a new Latin club with a large, well-maintained wood dancefloor. A door admission of $30 includes the floor show (which promises to be spectacular) and live music.
A kickoff party Friday night at Carmen's with DJ Salsa Mike is also open to the public, for a more modest admission of $10. Consult Betto Herrera's Mambo Dinamico webpage for full event details.
A talented mambo pro, and always a friendly face, Betto has been a positive force in our dance community these last 8 years, building up an infrastructure of dancers, deejays, workshops and social events to spread love for the art form. His Tuesday Latin socials at Carmen's Cuban Cafe have become a fixture and weekly outlet for dancers.
As a mambo specialist, he's a disciplined pro who travels the world to dance and give instruction. By the same token, he's brought outside instructors in to enhance our local dance scene, helping to put North Carolina on the interregional salsa networking map.
But I also know Betto as an avid supporter and follower of live music. As a native Ecuadorian with roots in popular dance culture, Betto understands the richness and diversity of salsa styles, and the folkloric sources they draw upon. While building up his own company, he has contributed to a spirit of cooperation in our relatively small community for Latin dance.
Congratulations, Betto and Mambo Dinamico, on 8 years of bringing high quality instruction and events to the Triangle!
The Cobo Brothers' Copa Night 5th Anniversary will be celebrated this weekend, Nov. 13-15, with live music by Orquesta GarDel and workshops and dance performances by a luminary array of mambo professionals from L.A. to New York.
Also, JUST ADDED: Afro-Cuban dance workshop by Betto Herrera (Mambo Dinamico Dance Company). Workshops are being held Saturday and Sunday at Durham's Triangle Dance Studio, 2603 S. Miami Blvd. See website for details.
Parties begin tonight, Friday (11/13) from 11 pm - 2 am at Cuban Revolution, 318 Blackwell St in downtown Durham's American Tobacco District. $10 general admission at the door; weekend and Saturday night passholders receive discounts.
Orquesta GarDel
Saturday night's extravaganza at Parizade, in Durham's Erwin Square, will feature a dance party Orquesta GarDel from 11:30 pm - 3 am. Prior to that, a dance showcase from 10 - 11:30 features out-of-town guests Junior & Emily (L.A.), Yamulee Dance Company (NYC), A&E Studios and Proyecto Barrio Dance Company (both from GA). North Carolina's own Mambo Dinamico, Bernardo De La Vega, and Cobo Brothers Dance Company will also perform. Separate or combined admissions are available for both parts of the evening, the dance showcase and/or live band. CUT OFF FOR ONLINE DISCOUNTS is TODAY, FRIDAY (11/13) at 3 PM.
Few promoters combine entrepreneurial knowhow and aesthetic savvy like the Cobos. The weekend's performing artists are a talent powerhouse, judging by their appearances at past NC Salsa Festivals. Expect a seamlessly well run event with plenty of dazzle.
The word from Orquesta Gardel is, their favorite soundman is standing by to work the boards on Saturday, and they'll be adding a few new charts to Ray Barretto and Issac Delgado. Salseros, all systems go!
On my radio show this week, one of the tunes I played to advertise Los Pleneros de la 21 was "Chiviriquiton," a plena/rap fusion from the 2005 album Para Todos Ustedes. Little did I know, I would be singing coro to that very song at last night's workshop, as Jose Rivera spit rhymes:
I learned a lot of things from the workshop, like that oldtimers used to recycle banjos and drums into panderetas, the hand-held frame-drums of plena. When a drum dies, it goes to plena heaven.
The origin of the term "plena" is undetermined, but various stories circulate; one says it derives from newspaper terminology (plena is known as "the newspaper of the streets"); another that it is related to a woman's name; a third, that it comes from the phrase "plena luna" (full moon).
A lot of the coros are "standards" and the bodies of songs are changed and added on to, depending on the occasion and the performer. This makes it difficult, however, for modern pleneros to establish songwriting credit on their improvisations, a fact Jose mentioned. Jose carries on the plena tradition from his father, Ramon Rivera.
I also learned that bomba, of Kongo origin and found around the coasts of Puerto Rico, has many different styles, some of them regional, and including: bomba yubá, bomba sicá, bomba holandés. Mayagüez has some of the oldest bomba, and is known as a birthplace of sorts, whereas Loíza Aldea is a hotspot for bomba, with some of the fastest varieties.
I was absolutely struck by the confluence of Julia's bomba dancing and Afro-Cuban rumba as it is danced by men. Clearly the importance of Kongo culture and the connections between all these diaspora art forms in the Caribbean has yet to be fully grasped (by me, at least--I'm sure we need more books about it). We were told there is no easy-to-find song book or written resource for plena songs, and none at all for bomba songs.
Julia Gutierrez dances bomba in this video from the workshop.
There seems to be a certain deep, ancestral, spiritual remembrance embedded in these traditions, even if they are not tied to a clear religious practice such as one finds with Santería. Bomba musicians have different schools of thought on the spirituality of bomba, apparently, which was outlawed on parts of the island until very recently (how recently? I have to find out).
There's a lot more in my notes and videos, I will post more when I have time to go over them. In the meantime, Julia Gutierrez gave the dopest dance lessons in plena and bomba! No lectures, no stopping of music, just non-stop action.
On hand for the workshop: LP21 founder and leader Juan Gutierrez, Jose Rivera, Camilo Molina, Alex Lasalle and Julia Gutierrez. A fuller complement arrive for the concert TONIGHT at 7pm in UNC Memorial, slated to include: Nellie Tanco (lead vocals/dance), Sammy Tanco (lead vocals), Desmar Guevara (piano), Pete Nater (trumpet), Waldo Chavez (bass) and Nelson Gonzalez (dance/percussion).
This FREE event remains sold out, but I recommend going early to see if seats are available at the door. There will be SOME seats but how many, is anyone's guess. Also, bear in mind it's football night so parking and traffic may be affected.
Here's a brief update on Los Pleneros de la 21's two-day residency at UNC-Chapel Hill this week. The premier bombiplena group from New York, performing Puerto Rican folkloric music and dance, will be arriving Thursday (10/15).
The free concert in UNC Memorial Hall on Friday (10/16) at 7 pm is already "SOLD OUT." This means all the advance tickets have been distributed. I don't know if any tickets have been held in reserve. In other words, I DON'T have any insider info, but if you feel you need to be there, and you don't mind taking a chance on not getting in, I'd advise going early to see if any more tickets or open seats become available at the door. TICKET UPDATE: Havana Grill in Cary has been distributing some of the tickets for Friday night's Memorial Hall concert; I just called over there (3 pm Wed) and apparently they still have about 40 tickets left. Another distribution point is Caribbean Cafe in Raleigh; as of 5 pm Wed they have 3 tickets left, call ahead: 919-872-4858.
Non-ticket-holders should also consider attending the free Community Bomba y Plena Workshop which LP 21 will hold Thursday (10/15) at 7 pm in the Sonya Hanes Stone Center for Black Culture on UNC campus.
It will be a smaller group (not all of the musicians will have arrived yet), but the event will be informal and participatory, so you will get to interact with the musicians and dancers up close. It is open to anyone, adults or children, no experience is required. On Wednesday noon I was told there were about 50 spaces left in the workshop. Reservations are recommended; to do so, call or email Ursula Littlejohn, ulittlej@email.unc.edu or 962-9001.
CORRECTION: This free workshop has been postponed; new date TBA.
I remember the first time I saw live orisha dance, at a presentation at the long-gone Raleigh nightclub Plum Crazy by Salsa Carolina, way WAY back in the day. The warlike Ogun, with his machete, struck a little actual fear in me, and love goddess Oshun, in a yellow dress, circled on the same dancefloor where couples usually flitted to pop merengue and salsa erotica by the likes of Elvis Crespo and Frankie Ruiz.
I really didn't know what I was seeing, at the time, but the power and mystery in the room was palpable. It's been years, and I've seen other performances since, but the memory of that experience, and the emotions it provoked, surprisingly hasn't faded.
A lot of salsa dancers don't know much about the religious folklore that underpins Afro-Cuban culture, the source of many of our dance rhythms. A rare opportunity to get a FREE look at these dances from the inside comes this Sunday [CORRECTION: POSTPONED, NEW DATE TBA] at Paso Salsa Studios in Durham.
Part of the radical Free Expression Project, offering free workshops to encourage new, creative directions for local dancers, the Orisha Dance Workshop will give instruction in fundamentals for dancing Elegua for men and Yemaya for women.
The embedded videos give you an idea of what each orisha dance is like, and how the singing and drumming and dancing work together. Tambor Vivo's live drums will accompany the workshop.
I encourage anyone even just a little curious about the Afro-Cuban orishas, derived from the ancient Yoruba pantheon in West Africa, to venture out. What have you got to lose, really? This aspect of the culture is rarely glimpsed in our area. To invite people in to share in it, for free, is distinctly a blessing.
Mambo Dinamico, Betto Herrera's professional dance company, this weekend hosts Salsa Summer Splash, a 3-day conference of workshops with visiting instructors, parties and performances in styles ranging from rumba to cha cha cha.
The party starts tonight, Friday (8/21) with a wing ding at Carmen's, and wraps Sunday with an afternoon social dance at Lake Crabtree. In between, workshops with visiting instructors will take place at Carmen's on Saturday (8/22). The door price is $20 per workshop, or $50 for all four. An all-weekend pass to all workshops and parties is available for $60.
Saturday (8/22) Workshop Schedule:
1-2 pm - Rumba Afro-Cubana w / Alejandro de Armas
2-3 pm - Bachata Dominicana w/ Juan "Tato" Paredes
As Onda Carolina celebrates its first anniversary, this month is turning out to be one of the busiest on record for Latin music in the Triangle. I have a lot of catching up to do, so here's a digest of recent news and upcoming events.
First order of business: It's the third Thursday (8/20) of the month, and Tambor Vivo is headlining again at Mosaic's free, no-cover Cuban night. Mosaic's adventurous programming creates a win/win proposition for our music and dance community. Just show up, no classes, no covers, no pretense. Just the call of live drums. This party scene is burgeoning and a little different every time. Truly cultural, yet open-ended, you can dance how you want to, from straight-up rumba to whatever shakes your bootay.
Thursday appetizer: Did you know that a free bomba dance class is held every Thursday at Havana Grill in Cary? Time: 6:30 pm - 8ish, depending on attendance. Instructor Miriam Rivas is a Puerto Rican native and a researcher at Duke. Ladies, wear a wide skirt if you have one, and sneakers or shoes appropriate for dancing on concrete. Havana Grill serves Cuban food with nightly specials.
Next on the agenda: This Saturday (8/22) is Durham's Latino Festival, 3:00 - 8:00 pm at Rock Quarry Park. This free festival will highlight local Mexican regional music by Leno y sus Compas, and two of our best salsa bands: The Latin Project and Carnavalito. For the full schedule, see poster below or visit the Durham Latino Festival website.
August has been a packed month for festivals, from Ritmo Latino, to La Ley's 6th anniversary last weekend, which I unfortunately had to miss because I was out of town. It looked to be a humdinger, with return appearances by Domenic M (the bachata singer and his supertight band played the festival 3 years ago) and Grupo Control (spandex cowboys whose sexy show kicked off this blog a year ago).
Further jamming the festival calendar, this August will wrap up with La Fiesta del Pueblo on August 29-30 (which traditionally has taken place in early September). Currently they are looking for volunteers; if you would like to volunteer, fill out this online form. Their stage schedule isn't out yet, but check back soon for more details. (Let me get through one festival at a time...)
Finally I want to congratulate all the members of the NCCU Jazz Ensemble and director Ira Wiggins on a triumphant set of performances at the Newport Jazz Festival. From what I understand, this was a project several years in the making, and NCCU artist-in-residence Branford Marsalis was instrumental in creating the showcase. The ensemble is really getting out and about these days; they will play the Detroit Jazz Festival this Labor Day weekend.
We are tremendously lucky to have high order jazz education in our midst. It's nothing to take for granted, and has had a tremendous impact on our salsa scene, when you look at the number of musicians to come out of Central who also play "our Latin thing." Kudos to NCCU Jazz, it's on my list of great things about living in Durham.
STAY IN TOUCH Got news or calendar items for Onda Carolina? I would love to hear from YOU. You can leave a comment, or email me by clicking on "Sylvia P." in the contributors box (sidebar, right) to reach my Blogger profile. GRACIAS!
Paso dance instructors Eduardo and Stephanie Winston had such a big response to their FREE rumba guaguanco classlast week, that they are doing it again this Sunday (8/2) at 7:30 pm.
"Paso Salsa Studio is holding a free Rumba Guaguanco class this Sunday, July 26th in order to help Triangle dancers develop better expression through real Afro-Cuban body movement. Grass roots approach as usual, with some pretty cool exercises to help develop a strong foundation for the Guaguanco. The goal is simply to make more genuinely expressive dancers who are better able to connect with their emotions and channel them through physical movement."
WHERE: 1601 E Geer Street, Durham, 27703 (919.338.2464)
Tip for locating the Studio - turn left at Faucette Ave. and drive around back of the storage/business center. It's confusing because it's in the back of the building.
I've heard great things from people who've gone there, and it also seems (to me) to be a great value--the whole week-long program of classes is $495, not including travel/lodging. You can also sign up by day rates.
Among the esteemed instructors at this camp: the one and only Francisco Aguabella, John Santos, Mike Spiro, Toto Berriel from Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, founding member of the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional Lazaro Galarraga, and drummers and dancers from other top folkloric groups in Cuba, such as Yoruba Andabo and Afro-Cuba de Matanzas. The program also includes scholars such as David Peñalosa who has written books about clave.
Realer, a deal does not get. Classes cover rumba and orisha song, dance, and multi-instrument drumming techniques, at levels from beginner to pro.
"I must mention that our evening rumba parties have become legendary," says program founder and coordinator Howie Kaufman.
"You will not be disappointed!" emphasizes Santos.
Rumba 54 (the old Montas Lounge) has converted pretty thoroughly on peak weekend nights to a young Latin scene, complete with long lines and sonic domination by the latest in reggaeton/house blends.
For old school salsa lovers though, Betto Herrera is reviving the Sunday salsa social at this venue, a tradition going back to the days when it was Montas Lounge.
TONIGHT (2/1): Rumba 54 (2223 E. Hwy 54) Sundays, 6:00-10:30 pm. FREE; an optional lesson at 6 pm costs $5.
Betto says the party, which started shortly before Christmas, is picking up steam. The director of Mambo Dinamico Dance Company, Betto also organizes a very popular Tuesday social at Carmen's Cuban Cafe. See calendar for details.
Tambor Vivo will play a special Mambo Dinamico holiday party, 6-9 pm Sunday (12/21) at Rumba 54 (formerly Montas Lounge). Children are welcome, and guests are asked to RSVP and check the evite for what they might bring to this potluck-style event.
Lately, Betto Herrera (director of Mambo Dinamico) has been a regular at the newly installed Cuban nights at Mosaic Lounge, where he may be heard singing rumba guaguanco at the mic with Tambor Vivo.
Tonight's holiday party will feature live percussion and dance lessons in this folkloric Cuban dance style, as well as Dominican bachata, at 6pm.
Cuban drummer and composer Dafnis Prieto is only touching down in Durham for a day, this Saturday (9/27), but he has a full plate:
2:30 pm - Dafnis Prieto master class at Duke. He will discuss his ideas about music in general and demonstrate some specific drumset techniques. Free, the public is invited. Baldwin Auditorium, Duke East Campus.
8:00 pm - Dafnis Prieto Sextet performs at Duke Performances. Reynolds Theater, Bryan Center, Duke West Campus. See our events calendar for ticket info.
Sextet personnel for Saturday's concert:
Dafnis Prieto, drums Peter Apfelbaum, sax & melodica Felipe Lamoglia, sax Avishai Cohen, trumpet Yunior Terry, bass Manuel Valera, piano & keyboard
The touring band reflects one line-up change from the new album, Taking the soul for a walk; Lamoglia replaces Yosvany Terry.
While known for his unique, even emotive approach to the drumset, Dafnis Prieto composes at the piano. He has two sparkling albums of chamber jazz on the Zoho label, 2005's About the Monks and 2006's Absolute Quintet.
Taking the soul for a walk appears on his own label, Dafnison, and includes tributes to late musicians: a danzon dedicated to conguero Miguel Angá Diaz, and a fanfare inspired by saxophonist Mario Rivera. Other tunes are dedicated to people and places he left behind in Cuba when he emigrated in 1999. These include his mother, Rosa, and childhood friends from the poor neighborhood where he was born, in Santa Clara.
After 8 years of study at Havana's Escuela Nacional, his orientation to the drumset is as much classical as it is carnaval. "I love the timpani," he says. Yet one metal instrument on his drumset resembles an upside-down frying pan, the kind of thing you'd expect to see clanging in a comparsa street orchestra. In fact, on About the Monks, Prieto recreated a one-man comparsa by layering his own vocal and percussion tracks.
Like all creators, he thinks coming up with labels is "a waste of energy"--but when pushed to describe his music, he calls it "contemporary Latin jazz." Minus congas on this most recent outing, and making use of variable meters and counterpoint, his sound does not resemble mambo, or traditional, dance-based Latin jazz. Still, like any good Cuban, his "favorite band" is still Los Van Van. He even describes one tune on Taking the soul for a walk as a "songo," the Caribbean song form first elaborated by Los Van Van guru Juan Formell.
Want to hear more?
Tune in to my radio interview with Dafnis Prieto from 1:00-3:00 pm Saturday on WXDU 88.7 FM, or listen online with iTunes at www.wxdu.org.
"Mambo princess" Griselle Ponce will give a dance performance and workshop in the Triangle on Saturday, August 13. That evening's Copa Night party, hosted by the Cobo Brothers at Mint Restaurant in Raleigh, features live music by the Triangle's elite salsa orchestra, Orquesta GarDel.
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