"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.
Some pictures from the Black and White Party at Mint, the new location for the Cobo Brothers' monthly Copa Night. It was Orquesta GarDel's last gig of 2010, and the first I've heard them since August.
Nelson, Andy, Tim, Blu, Alberto, Kyle and Jose
Cute as buttons: floor show dancers Eider and Luisa
Kitchen staff checks out Pete and Eric's irresistible tumbao
Brevan's eye view
It was too dark for me to take video last night, but GarDel's first CD, Lo Que Tu Querias, will be out in no time--sources say January.
Night 2...I was seated in the back row, literally making for a crap shoot, yet I made out with a few souvenir photos that will give you an idea of how the second night of dance performances went.
Quick review of the dance showcase:
1) Serena Cuevas From: San Diego, Deseo Dance Company (director) Danced to: Rodrigo & Gabriela, "Diablo Rojo"
Commments: Truly a beautiful dancer, with a real body she knows how to move. I liked Cuevas' costume for the solo piece, as well as her choice of music--the very hip, young guitar duo Rodrigo and Gabriela. I'm psyched to see a woman leading her own company and dancing her way into the zeitgeist--Cuevas appears in that Gatorade commercial, "Is It In You?"
2) Jose Maldonado, Lucy Lu + one pair [TBA] From: Atlanta, Paso Fino Dance Company Danced to: TBA [modern salsa, with some fast pumping saxes]
Comments: I'm stealing from MC Eric Baez when I say, simply, this was a high energy routine with nice tricks. Definitely true; Lu and Maldonaldo seemed to have switched partners for the double act, with another couple whose names are TBA.
3) Natalia Weedy and Pedro Paz From: Raleigh, Cobo Brothers Dance Company Danced to: Tito Puente & La Lupe, "Oriente"
Comments: Solo debut for this bold, sexy pair, with big lifts and dynamic chemistry. Great musical choice with this La Lupe/Tito Puente pairing; this version of the Cuban guajira starts slow and morphs into an uptempo coro, perfect for showcasing different moods/moves. 4) Victor & Burju Perez From: Boston, Hacha y Machete Dance Company Danced to: Bobby Rodriguez, "After Midnight"
Comments: Very Broadway, with wild costumes and pumped attitude. This couple favors fast Latin jazz instrumentals, which makes sense to me as a musical choice for what they do.
5) Tito y Tamara From: Puerto Rico Danced to: Ortos Gutierrez y De Menor A Mayor, featuring Gilberto Santa Rosa, "Swing Boricua"
Comments: Music written exclusively for them by Tito's musician father; Gilberto Santa Rosa recorded the featured vocal as a favor on this non-commercially released recording. I mean, dayamn! The tune also features a break with a couple of coros from Bobby Valentin's "Soy Boricua," so it don't get any more boricua than that. High professionalism and style, mil-kilowatt smiles, and cool dance breaks where they showed off their individual shines.
6) Erell Niane and Mike Very From: Nice, France, U-Tribe Dance Company Danced to: Alicia Keyes intro, and Celia Cruz & Ray Barretto, "Bambarakatunga"
Comments: I got a bit of a Zap Mama vibe from the opening, with an Alicia Keyes sample and costumes kinda like tribal lingerie. Very has a belly button piercing--unusual for a man? But definitely something he carries off. Unpretentious dancers with a lot of reach, Very told me this couple dances ALL regional styles of US salsa (mambo, L.A., etc.), plus Cuban rumba, hip hop, and African dance vocabularies like soukous and dombolo. "I dance the way I feel it, I don't think about it, it just comes out that way," says Very about integrating elements.
7) Milton Cobo + Erin Leger, James Cobo + Isabel Freiberger From: Raleigh, Cobo Brothers Dance Company Danced to: [Artist TBA] "Dulcerito"
Erin Leger and Milton Cobo
Comments: Festival hosts the Cobo Brothers flaunted their distinctive mambo style in double pair format. Cocky and playful, always a big "wow" factor, even with the home court advantage. 8) Oliver Pineda From: Sydney, Australia Danced to: Michel Camilo, "Caribe"
Comments: A Chilean born in Australia, Pineda's muscle control is prodigious. Similar influences as Friday's solo performance.
"It's time to show what the rest of the world can do," said Milton Cobo as he brought Pineda and U-Tribe on stage at the end of the show.
COMING SOON: Reportage of the "Battle of the Bands," as Tropic Orchestra and Orquesta Gardel faced off on Friday and Saturday.
Old friends: Erell Niande of U-Tribe and Burju Perez of Hacha y Machete
Doesn't this look like an Impressionist painting?
Isabel Freiberger at the afterparty with Tropic Orchestra.
Clockwise from top left: William Villalba, Ricardo James, Frank Vila and Rick Radian
Tropic's new Venezuelan rhythm section: Andres Leon and Rey Riera
A showcase of international dance performances at the NC Salsa Festival last night exceeded my expectations for their diversity, from the classic Nuyorican mambo and competition ballroom moves, to dancers who tapped directly in to the African and Brazilian roots.
It was followed by dance party starring Orquesta GarDel in Part One of the "Battle of the Salsa Bands" (Tropic Orchestra will take the stage tonight.) GarDel gave a heavy performance that earned respect from the dance artists, some of whom joined them onstage for the encore. Giorgio Restaurant in Cary was an elegant setting for the dance party; I enjoyed an unusual champagne cocktail at the bar. To make room for the performer showcase, a second stage was set up outside in a tent, which was brilliant because it allowed the band to set up inside at the same time.
Oliver Pineda and Mike Very with sonero Jaime Roman
Here's a quick review of the dance showcase; I'm told these same dancers will perform whole different routines to different music tonight.
1) Tito & Tamara From: Puerto Rico Danced to: Jose Lugo Orchestra, "Mambo Valentin"
Comments: Pure Puerto Rico. Classic beautiful moves and poses from a top pro team. They danced in "El Cantante" and other movies, and with top industry salsa stars like Gilberto Santa Rosa.
2) Isabel Freiberger From: Cobo Brothers Dance Company (local) Danced to: Charlie Palmieri, "Either You Have It Or You Don't," and Michael Buble, "Feeling Good"
Comments: Freiberger's music titles say it all about her performance: She definitely "has it," a natural solo performer with tremendous charisma, a unique look (kind of an Ann Margret fire), acrobatic style, and not a hint of nerves. Like poised dynamite.
3) Cobo Student Dance Team From: Cobo Brothers Dance Company (local) Danced to: Ray Barretto, "Adelante Siempre Voy"
Adam Phillips and Alexis Silver
Yin Song and Amber Cadwell
Comments: Classic Cobo style, sassy torso moves and lots of airborne lifts. Good synchronicity by two well-matched pairs, even when the sound dropped out, and they completed their choreography without music. It was the last performance of Alexis Silver and Milton Cobo delivered a tribute.
4) Lucy Lu and Jose Maldonado From: Atlanta, Paso Fino Dance Company Danced to: "La Guarachera" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente
Comments: Put me in mind of Junior & Emily's performance at the festival last year, favoring multiple spins and constant motion over held elements and airborne moves. "That's coming tomorrow!" Maldonado told me after the show, saying this was their competition routine emphasizing ballroom elements.
5) Melanie Riveira & Serena Cuevas From: San Diego, Deseo Dance Company Danced to: A samba batucada (Brazilian drum music), and Rebeca Mauleon, "Serenata Ritmica"
Melanie Riveira
Serena Cuevas
Comments: The samba surprise: unexpected fusion of samba and capoeira with salsa and mambo. Nice to see a pair of female dancers with a unique style, introducing carnavalesque Brazilian sex and power to the "same old" salsa equation.
6) Mike Very & Erell Niane From: Nice, France. Urban Tribe aka U-Tribe Dance Company Danced to: Los Van Van, "Somos Cubanos"
Comments: Knock me over with a feather: Timba, at a mambo conference! To be more precise, a vital, fresh Afro fusion reflecting many influences from Cuban rumba, to Very's native Kenya and Niane's Senegalese roots. This was a standout with me and others I informally polled: eye-opening, gorgeously physical, and highlighting deep cultural connections.
7) Oliver Pineda From: Sydney, Australia Danced to:A bulerias by Joachin Cortez.
Comments: Flamenco, modern, and rumba inform the very physical, smooth solo routine of a 5-time World Salsa Champion. Kind of classically blended, although Pineda's costume suggests tribal assocations. Also a musician, Pineda sat in for GarDel's encore and played a killer timbales solo (see above video).
8) Victor & Burju Perez From: Boston, Hacha y Machete Dance Company Danced to: Alfredo De La Fe, "Hacha y Machete"
Comments: Introduced by MC Eric Baez as a "classic," this married pair represents the New York mambo style with all its formality and elegance. Cool music choice, an instrumental cover of their signature tune ("Hacha y Machete," a Hector Lavoe original) by violinist Alfredo De La Fe. It doesn't get more classic salsa than that. Burju's got her own line of dance shoes.
More Orquesta GarDel videos to follow soon.
Tropic Orchestra has been woodshedding all week, with some new personnel; judging by last night, they better bring their A-game! "Battle of the Salsa Bands, Part Two" tonight, starts at 11 pm (9:30 dance showcase).
Erell Niane (right) relaxing at the afterparty with Orquesta GarDel
The Cobo Brothers' elegant salsa/mambo social on Second Saturdays has been on hiatus ever since the closing of George's Garage last fall. But the return of Copa Night debuts tonight (4/10) at the restauraunteur's new location in Cary, with a "Black and White Party" theme.
NEW VENUE:Giorgio's, 4300 NW Cary Parkway (near High House Rd), Cary.
Black and White Party Discounts:
Regular admission: $12 Anyone wearing ALL BLACK or ALL WHITE: $10 Ladies: $8 admission before 10:30 pm.
A special performance by Mexican dancer Rodrigo Cortazar and his partner will be featured at 10:45 pm. The rest of the night will be open dancing.
Ned Sublette will make a stop on his multimedia publicity tour in Durham next week. Wednesday (2/10) at 7 pm at the Regulator, he will read from his new book, The Year Before the Flood: A New Orleans Story and perform songs from his new album, Kiss Me Down South. Ned is also the founder of the Institute for Postmambo Studies. (And yes, he will be selling T-shirts.)
Ned Sublette may be my favorite living author and public intellectual. His knowledge of Afro-Atlantic culture is so deep and so connected, and the way he expresses it so fluid and untroubled. Rare. His books on the musics of Cuba and New Orleans, and the historical contexts that shaped them, are both rich, great reads.
The confluence of his visit next week with Miguel Zenón's Esta Plena Septet will result in another meeting of the minds. Ned will give a FREE pre-concert talk, with Miguel and his collaborator Hector "Tito" Matos, on Thursday (2/11) at 6 pm.
Tito Matos is a leading practioner of plena, and MacArthur "genius" grant fellow Miguel Zenón built his latest album around him. The double Grammy-nominated Esta Plena is a milestone encounter between plena, a native rhythm of Puerto Rican folklore, and jazz. Zenón's saxophone drips lyricism, and he's joined by a well-attuned quartet that includes Venezuelan pianist Luis Perdomo, Austrian bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Henry Cole, who subtly matches the patterns of pandereta and güiro. Tito brings vocals and hand-drumming on board the septet, with the aid of Obanilú Allende and Los Pleneros de la 21 founder Juan Gutierrez.
As far as we know, the Mambo Dinamico party tonight with Eddie Torres, et al., at Capital VIP is still on. It will be without live music, however. UNC has cancelled classes, so that makes it a snow day for Charanga Carolina (a university performing ensemble).
Note from Charanga director David Garcia:
Dear Charanga community,
I am cancelling Charanga's performance tonight because of UNC's adverse weather announcement (http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1395/466915/). But Mambo Dinamico's other events are still scheduled to take place tonight!
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!
Orquesta GarDel's three vocalists: Jaime Ramon, Ramon Ortiz (front) and Nelson Delgado
Despite some drawbacks to the venue, the Copa Night 5th Anniversary at Parizade turned out to be one hell of a party. Orquesta GarDel performed two slamming salsa sets following dance performances by Junior & Emily, Yamulee, CoboBrothers, Mambo Dinamico and others.
I'm not an "on 2" dancer and I don't particularly relish stage shows, but the performers flaunted a lot of admirable nerve and skill. I find the women particularly fearless--just like they used to say about Ginger Rogers, who did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. These mambo ladies were lifted and tossed into aerial moves, slid across the floor, and vaulted over their partners' bodies to land in splits, all with smiles on their faces and outfitted in sequined pumps and intricate, spandex fantasies as revealing as bikinis.
The dance show ran late, and due to the recent change in venue (George's Garage closed earlier this year, forcing Copa Night to relocate to Parizade), not everyone could see the dance stage; host Milton Cobo apologized to guests for the inconveniences, and promised to make it up to them.
Raleigh company Mambo Dinamico dedicated their dance to the local community that supports them year round, while The CoboBrothers scored heavy applause for their athletic airborne moves and high drama styling. Yamulee from The Bronx always scores points in my book for strong, classic taste, and I liked the unusual music selection by Atlanta's Proyecto Barrio of "My Favorite Things" in a Latin jazz version with vibes.
But the top honors of the evening have to go to West Coast dancers Junior and Emily, a pro team from San Francisco with 10 world titles under their belts. Technically superb, relaxed, and totally adorable, they are absolutely popping with individuality and all the qualities that make dancing look fun. Junior's open-chested, bell-bottomed costumes evoked WWF and sailors' uniforms; Emily's neon pink and yellow fringed skirts and glitter eyelashes evoked swing-era kewpie dolls and futuristic anime heroines. Their hairstyles were also too cute for words, completing the character. And that's just the frosting. When this duo hits the stage, it's as kinetic and explosive as water hitting a greasefire. Flawless fun with turning technique was a focus, less so aerial acrobatics. Turns out they are down-to-earth people in real life, too, as I discovered when I congratulated them backstage.
With all the mambo faithful gathered, there was a lot of energy in the room when the time came for social dancing. Into this charged atmosphere, GarDel delivered.
Sometimes you are at the party; other times you are of the party. I didn't do a whole lot of photographing last night; you can guess why.
GarDel tearing it up last night with an Eddie Palmieri tune.
Chart Gawking! GarDel original "Welcome to Shakori Hills"
Looking over first trumpet Alberto Carrasquillo's shoulder, I got this peek at his warm-up chart: an original in timba style by the band's trombonist and co-leader, Andy Kleindienst. Click on either photo to see larger!
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!
"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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