Palenque in NYC

[jorge]

I just saw the opening night performance of Palenque at LaMama Theatre in NYC. Fantastic. If you are in NYC, or can get to NYC between now and Feb 25, go see it! Written, choreographed and directed by "La Mora" Danys Perez, with many of the best Afrocuban and Haitian drummers, dancers, and singers in the U.S. from California, Boston, New York. The performers included Susana Arenas Pedroso, Xiomara Rodriguez, Sandy Garcia Perez, Roman Diaz, Rey Gonzales, Jose Francisco Barroso, Erick Barberia, Pedrito Domech, Royland Lobato, Erick Barberia, "Ñoño" Rogelio Kindelan Nordet, "Wichy" Luis Sandre Planas Hechavarria, Isabel Estrada-Jamison, Nadia Dieudonne, Daniel "Dadi" Beaubrun, Rudolph Pier "Neg Marrou", Jean Marie Collatin-Faye, and vocals by La Mora, Meredith Wright, and Jacinta Nuñez. It is Thursday thru Sunday this week and next at LaMama Theatre on E. 4th St:

www.lamama.org

The first half is a folkloric epic poem, with Palo, Yoruba, Iyesa, Arara, Makuta, Yuca, and other songs and dances. The second half is rumba. Santiago de Cuba, Matanzas, y La Habana are all well represented. Sandy Garcia and Roman Diaz played a Columbia like nothing I have ever seen. 2 drummers, 4 drums. Sandy on Tumbadora and quinto and Roman on tres-dos and quinto, with both trading off on quinto while playing their other part. Just 2 drummers, and guagua, everyone else was dancing and or singing, even Xiomara danced the Columbia.
Go see it!

[Isaac]

Thanks for the heads up. Sandy Perez and Roman Diaz are both phenomenal congueros.
I saw an ad for it last week, but
completely forgot about it. I hope to see it
tommorow or next week. If anyone else local is going
and would like to meet up, let me know...

ISAAC ~ funkytradition@yahoo.com