March 24, 2009

“El Canario” sings at The Salsa Room

Filed under: Concert Coverage — Tags: , , — Admin @ 2:58 pm

"El Canario" and singers at The Salsa Room. Photography by Enrique Bravo
“El Canario” and singers on stage at The Salsa Room
Photography by Enrique Bravo

by Hildi Pardo

It was March 21, the second day of Spring 2009. Fans gradually filled The Salsa Room in Arlington, Va., dancing to a mix of salsa, merengue, and bachata, spun by DJ Willie “Hercules” Sánchez, as they waited for the appearance of the legendary singer José Alberto “El Canario.” Hercules also anticipated the arrival: “I’ve never seen him in person before. I feel very privileged to deejay at this concert.”

Meanwhile, a car with “El Canario,” his road manager and a private assistant, and a bus with a 10-piece orchestra, two back-up singers, and a few family members and friends of the band, pulled up to the back of the club. In the narrow, dimly-lit upstairs office, José Alberto Justiniano explained that a DJ at a New York nightclub was impressed by the performer’s gift of improvisation and the whistling sound he made imitating a flute. The DJ would encourage the young artist with, “¡Canta Canario!”–“Sing Canary!” The nickname stuck.

Except for the constant rocking in the office chair where he sat, “El Canario,” 50, was calm before taking the stage. “Of course I love the music and the performance,” he said, “but it’s a job.” Asked about his personal life, the singer said he was divorced and spoke with pride of his 5-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter.

On the main floor of The Salsa Room, at exactly 11:45 p.m., Liz Cruz, one of DC Salsa Meetup’s assistant organizers, and self-proclaimed “biggest fan,” took the stage as mistress of ceremonies and introduced “José Alberto “El Canario” y Su Orquesta.”

Fans crowded near the stage and with the stomping of his foot and clapping of his hands, “El Canario” conducted the band to begin with A La Hora Que Me Llamen Voy. The crowd responded enthusiastically as the song’s shout-outs to different Latin American countries were sung.

Without a pause, the band transitioned into Quiero Salsa. And so they continued, “El Canario,” dressed in a grey suit with a red shirt and matching handkerchief in his breast pocket and his two back-up singers danced to synchronized choreography.

After several back-to-back songs, the band took it down a few notches and gently jammed as “El Canario” greeted everyone with an energetic, “Muy buenas noches! Good evening everyone!” Then he polled the public: “¿Quiéren lo viejo? ¿O lo nuevo?” “Do you want the old songs? Or the new?” In unison the crowd responded, “¡Lo viejo!” And with that vote, “El Canario” complied and said, “¡Vamos a los años 80!” “Let’s go to the 80s!” The fans cheered.

During Sueño Contigo, “El Canario” held out the microphone to the crowd, beckoning an interaction of back-and-forth lyrical responses. On the song list were Fotos y Recuerdos, Te Voy a Saciar de Mí, and Desesperado. He also included his salsa version, with modified lyrics, of the famous Peruvian waltz La Flor de la Canela. With each song, the skilled performer flirted with the crowd through comments and gestures.

While shout-outs were made to different countries, Perú gathered the most with several exclamations of, “¡Perú!” and “¡Chim Pum Callao!”

In town from New York, Carmelo Lorán, 64, said the performance brought back memories of the big New York salsa clubs in the 70s and 80s–The Corso, Ochentas, and Colgate Gardens in the Bronx–and of seeing “El Canario” perform with his old group, “Típica ’73.” “It’s beautiful and nostalgic at the same time. This performance is the same as back in the day–de recorrido–songs performed from one to the next without a break.” In those days, the mainly Newyorican fan-base thought “El Canario” was Puerto Rican, said Lorán.

The singer was actually born in the Dominican Republic and moved to Puerto Rico with his family when he was just seven years old. He studied music at the Las Antillas Military Academy and during his travels to Cuba. In the 70s, he moved to New York City and became a vocalist for “Típica ’73,” a salsa band that launched the solo careers of many performers. Then in 1983, he began his own band: “José Alberto “El Canario” y su Orquesta.”

Franco Visage Villarreal, owner of The Salsa Room, said, “It is always an honor and a pleasure to have the top salsa artists perform at my club. “El Canario” is one of my favorite artists from the Dominican Republic.”

Of her concert experience, Nina Rozenblad said, “They sound amazing. They look like they are truly enjoying themselves.”

A large group of fans remained crowded near the stage throughout the performance, interacting with the band. The back area of The Salsa Room had filled up with salseros equal to any other Saturday night. “El Canario” had packed the house.

Nearing the end of the 70-minute set, one of the backup singers offered a loyal vocal imitation of Celia Cruz’s La Vida es un Carnaval. The last song of the evening was Baila Que Baila. An encore chant of, “¡Otra! ¡Otra! ¡Otra!” was denied as the band had to return to Hoboken, New Jersey, where “El Canario” resides.

“El Canario” told The Scene that a new record, titled “Original,” will be released soon. The anticipated album is two years in the making and includes songs such as Te Regalo Amores, Que me lo Cuente Otro, and La Calle.

March 18, 2009

Salsa Etiquette Column

Filed under: Dance Tips — Tags: — Admin @ 3:07 pm

by Grace Badilloby Grace Badillo

She said “no” – so are you never asking her to dance again?

This is one of the most sensitive subjects to discuss in the dance world.  There are many reasons why she may have said “no.” If she says “no” to you and “yes” to another gentleman a minute later, is this really inappropriate or “lame?”

Example 1: She’s tired or hurt.  Women dancers tend to get hurt on average two to three times a night by a foot, elbow, rough lead or because she is not being protected during the implementation of a dip or difficult move.  When she said “no” to you she may have needed to rest or recover and one minute might have been all she needed. You were already dancing or nowhere to be found, so she said “yes” to someone else.

Example 2:  She doesn’t like dancing with you or your dance style.  It may be hard to face but it’s possible that the last time she danced with you, you were rough in your lead.  Or did you get too seductive with your hold or serious in your stare? A rough lead isn’t fun but painful, and a seductive or serious partner can make her uncomfortable enough to not dance with you again.

Example 3: Her answer has nothing to do with you; it’s just a matter of circumstance.  She may have promised the last dance to a friend who is about to leave the club.  Or she may have promised the next dance to someone who asked her before you.  This isn’t lame, but courteous on her part.

Example 4:  Your manner of requesting the dance may have been wrong.  Did you try to pull her from a deep conversation or just grunt a “come over here and dance” cave-man request?  Did you grab her by the hand instead of just extending yours? No woman likes this.  Next time, try to be a gentleman and ask politely.  If she says “no,” respond that you understand with a smile attached.  Don’t try to change her mind.

Guys, there is no reason to be upset with a lady who said “no.”  On the contrary, try asking her if she needs water or napkins instead of being judgmental; she will certainly remember you the next time you ask her to dance.

Ladies, you have a responsibility in all of this, too.  It is our job as aspiring great dancers to ask men to dance once in a while but especially if we’ve said “no” to them in the past.  When declining, be sensitive and polite. “I will come get you before the night is over” is a polite I.O.U.  But if you don’t mean it, don’t say it.  Remember that it is a courtesy to dance with everyone, but you have no obligation to dance with anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Finally, rolling your eyes is definitely a no-no.  If you are an eye-roller, expect to have a pretty bad reputation wherever you tread. If you’ve gotten to the point where you think you are too good to dance with someone, you have lost the spirit of salsa/mambo.

Submit your Salsa Etiquette questions or topics to grace@dancingwithgrace.com

March 16, 2009

Eddie Santiago Live at The Salsa Room

Filed under: Concert Coverage — Tags: , , — Admin @ 12:37 am

by Emily Goulding

Eddie Santiago reaching out to fans

Eddie Santiago reaching out to fans (Photo by Enrique Bravo)

It’s 11:54 p.m. on February 7 and The Salsa Room crowd has been waiting for hours. Girls endlessly rearrange their skirts and men pop their collars. A few pockets of couples dance listlessly on an empty floor as they wait for the headliner of the evening.  All of a sudden, the room goes black. High-pitched shrieks emerge from the darkness as the announcer says, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Eddie Santiagooooohhhhh!”

Santiago claps one-two-three-four, and the room transforms.

Santiago’s appearance marked the eighth time he’s played in D.C., and his second at The Salsa Room. The stage was lined with starry-eyed women, both young and old, singing along to the timeless “salsa romantica.” It was the weekend before Valentine’s Day, and Santiago definitely set the mood.

“I sing about love,” Santiago  said to the crowd. “And throughout the evening, I promise to sing all the songs that you all helped make famous.” Santiago sang favorites like Lluvia and Que Locura Fue Enamorarme De Ti. With the first few notes of the song Mia, women who during the day don business suits became giddy with glee, as if Santiago was singing only to them.

Santiago solicited audience participation for most of the songs; when he sang Devorame Otra Vez, he had the entire audience screaming back to him, “Devorame otra vez!” When he reached a high pitch, both his and the index fingers of audience members went towards the ceiling in a synchronized throw.  About two thirds into the evening, Santiago did call-outs to different Latin American countries. “El Salvador!” he shouted, and a number of hands went up. Next came, “República Dominicana,” and the response was minimal. When he said, “Perú,” however, nearly half the room lit up with a scream.

Santiago’s band, in contrast, was all Nuyorican. Santiago has a Puerto Rican band while in Puerto Rico, and travels with his New York-based band while on the East Coast. On stage, wide-shouldered narcotics officers by day and part-time back-up singers by night crooned their parents’ music in pitch-perfect Spanish.

After playing for an hour and a half, Santiago wrapped up with a collage of Puerto Rican songs including Che Che Colé, Arroz con Habichuelas, and of course, the music of “el cantante de los cantantes,” as Santiago referred to him, Héctor Lavoe.

The songs of Héctor Lavoe re-animated the dance floor.  Towards the back of the room, dancers swirled in and out of circles of red, blue, and green lights in a joyful frenzy of rhythm and motion. As the evening ended, “que cante mi gente,” could be heard on the streets ringing out from The Salsa Room as the audience sang along with Santiago.

Of his Salsa Room performance, Santiago said, “I’m thrilled to be here; the public received me very well, they sang all the songs.”

“An artist feels honored to see that,” he added.

Hard economic times meant that the room was not filled to capacity, but his fans remain loyal, nevertheless.

“After 22 years, people are still supporting me, and that makes me very happy,” Santiago said. “I hadn’t been [in the D.C. Metro area] in  two or three years, but you all haven’t forgotten me,” he said and smiled.

By the looks of the couples who stayed slow dancing together even after the music faded, Santiago’s music is never forgotten.

March 15, 2009

Patience, Practice and the Pursuit of Excellence

Filed under: Articles — Tags: , , — Admin @ 7:57 pm
by Barbara Bernstein

by Barbara Bernstein

An old joke goes as follows: A woman walking down a street in New York City stopped a passer-by and asked, “Excuse me, but can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” The gentleman answered, “Practice, practice, practice!”

A new book out by Malcolm Gladwell (author of Blink) makes a startling proposition about how to explain exceptional talent. Gladwell describes a principle he calls “the 20,000 hour” rule. He says that to be very outstanding at some skill–like a top flight pro tennis player–requires 20,000 hours of practice. That amounts to 20 hours a week for 20 years.

Whether you train to perform or just dance for fun, the same rules apply: you just cannot become highly skilled without lots of practice; and you cannot get a lot of practice without being comfortable making mistakes, picking yourself up and trying again. No matter how talented someone appears when they dance, they didn’t start out that way. They made mistakes and kept on trying.

Just as children learn to walk before they run, students of dance learn to do things slowly before accelerating. It is best to learn new material first to very slow music and once the move is in muscle memory, gradually kick up the pace.

Slow tempos are very “forgiving.” For example, if you have excess motion in your lead, you may be able to slog through a move to a slow speed. But a faster speed requires greater cleanliness to get through the move, which can be done once you have practiced the move enough to commit it to muscle memory.

It’s important to recognize that knowing something is really a matter of degree, rather than all or nothing. You don’t simply know or not know how to do a cross body lead, for example. You start out doing it hesitantly and with awkwardness, and the more you practice, the more confident and smooth the movement becomes.

Dancers may feel that they already know a move, and understandably want to learn new moves rather than review what they know. But since learning is incremental, the more you do it, the better you’ll do it (at faster tempos, with less thought, adding embellishments).

That smoothness and improved technique is what makes you feel good to dance with and look great on the floor.

Barbara Bernstein is a Rueda de Casino Teacher and Director of DanceInTimeProductions.