Kings of Salsa

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CALENDAR INFORMATION
WHAT:           The Kings of Salsa
WHEN:           Thursday, October 20, 2011 • 8:00 PM
WHERE:         Aronoff Center for the Arts – Procter & Gamble Hall
PRICES:         $46 • $36 • $30
INFO:             Direct from Cuba, The Kings of Salsa is a hip explosion of high voltage music and sizzling choreography, featuring the very best of Havana’s cool street salsa and hip hop scene, seamlessly mixed with traditional Afro-Caribbean moves, world class contemporary dance, and the Cuban classics – Mambo, Rumba, and Cha Cha Cha.  Electrifying dancers are backed by the spectacular nine-piece band, Cuba Ashire, which unleashes Latin rhythms and stratospheric brass arrangements that showcase a slice of cool contemporary Cuba never seen before on stage.  

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale now
•    www.CincinnatiArts.ORG 
•    (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
•    Aronoff Center Ticket Office
•    Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4157
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CINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) presents Cuba’s hippest new dance show – The Kings of Salsa – on Thursday, October 20 at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall. The show is part of CAA’s 2011 Fall Season.

Choreographed by Roclan Gonzalez Chavez, this explosion of high voltage salsa and sizzling choreography pays homage to the great Cuban performers and dance styles from this intoxicating island, with a cool contemporary modern twist showing young Cuba today. Regarded as one of the best young choreographers in Cuba, Roclan has created this show to feature the unique talents of some of the Islands best dancers chosen from Cuba’s top dance companies. This electrifying mix of performers and choreographic styles makes this a not-to-be-missed music and dance experience.

The Kings of Salsa features the very best of Havana’s cool street salsa and hip-hop scene seamlessly mixed with traditional Afro-Caribbean moves, world class contemporary dance, and the Cuban classics – Mambo, Rumba, and Cha Cha Cha.  The sensual dancers are backed by the spectacular nine-piece band Cuba Ashire, unleashing Latin rhythms and stratospheric brass arrangements that showcase a slice of cool contemporary Cuba never seen or heard before on stage.

The German newspaper Hamburger Abendsplatt raves:  “Salsa, rumba, mambo, cha cha cha and reggae – the dancers of the Kings of Salsa exercise their mastery of them all to perfection, as if dancing were as essential to life as breathing and the beating of the heart. With hips gyrating, the señoras flow lithely over the bodies of their partners, whose movements beat out the rhythm like flashes of lightning.”

ROCLAN GONZALEZ CHAVEZ (Artistic Director/Choreographer/Vocals)
Roclan is a major choreographer for many of the young contemporary music shows in Cuba today.  He graduated as a folklore dancer and professor from ENA (National School of Arts) in 1996. His graduation show was a musical production with Lucia Huergo’s participation. In 1997, he graduated from a musical theatre course of training, and directed “Chikhola” (a teenage pop band), with which he recorded with Isaac Delgado. As of Chikhola, Roclan played with Los Van Van, Jose Luis Cortez (El Tosco), Manolin, and El Medico de la Salsa. In 1998, he joined TV Ballet, Cuba, starting a professional career as a singer and choreographer, and also co-created a show for Mexico with Tomas Morales, the director and choreographer of Tropicana. In 2000, he toured Aruba, co-directing a show with Morales. In 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007, he toured with Lady Salsa as a choreographer, actor, and singer.

For the last three years, Roclan has been the main choreographer of Cubadisco Festival Show, which is performed every year in Havana’s Karl Marx Theater.  Throughout his professional career, he has had the support of Cristi Dominguez – the famous ballerina, choreographer, and director of TV Ballet, Cuba.

For more information, visit The Kings of Salsa website at www.thekingsofsalsa.com .
 

CAA APPLAUDS ITS GENEROUS SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  THE UNION CENTRAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (Founding Season Sponsor), The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, CADILLAC, LOCAL12 WKRC, FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner)

“CAA PRESENTS” SPONSORS:  Coldwell Banker West Shell, Heidelberg Distributing, Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc., Ultimate Air Shuttle

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS: CityBeat, Cincinnati Herald, Furniture Fair, Millennium Hotel, Premier Pianos

KINGS OF SALSA PERFORMANCE SPONSOR: ARTHUR MURRAY FRANCHISED DANCE STUDIOS

KINGS OF SALSA MEDIA PARTNERS:  MOJO 100.3-FM, 101.1 WIZF-FM, La Mega 97.7-FM,
La Jornada Latina, Midwest Latino