WORLD PREMIERE Musical   

afroTANGO

Discover the AFRICAN ROOTS of TANGO
in MUSIC, SONG & DANCE

TANGO and CANDOMBE
have been designated by UNESCO as

ARGENTINA and URUGUAY's

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.  

 

Backstage calls it
"invigorating... fabulous... enjoyable"  http://www.backstage.com/review/dance/afrotango-thalia-spanish-theatre/

Arrangements & Musical Direction by LATIN GRAMMY winner RAUL JAURENA

Produced, Designed and Directed by
ANGEL GIL ORRIOS  

Group Choreography by
CAROLINA JAURENA & ANDRES BRAVO

FEATURING:

Dancers*
CAROLINA JAURENA & ANDRES BRAVO
MILTERI TUCKER & SEKOU MCMILLER
MANDI MESSINA & ANTON GAZENBEEK

*Each couple of dancers choreographs their own solos.


Singer:
MARGA MITCHELL

Musicians:
RAUL JAURENA: bandoneon
MAURIZIO NAJT: piano
SERGIO REYES: violin
REMY YULZARI: double bass

and on drums:
ARTURO PRENDEZ
ALEJANDRO "CHATO" FERNANDEZ
ARIEL "CHINO" BENATAR
 

EIGHT WEEKS ONLY! 
JANUARY 25 TO MARCH 17, 2013

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS at 8 PM, and SUNDAYS at 4 PM
ALL OF THE PERFORMANCES ARE SOLD OUT

TICKETS $ 35
STUDENTS & SENIORS $ 32
FRIDAYS ONLY $ 30
Special group rates



MAESTRO RAUL JAURENA was born and raised in Uruguay, and his music is inspired by his roots.  His arrangements combine the traditional roots of Tango and Milonga with the rhythms and dance of Candombe, the voice of the African communities in Uruguay.  His music reflects the influences of the different cultures as well as one hundred years of tango history with all its contradicting emotions.    

CANDOMBE, also known as Tango Negro, is an African-derived rhythm that has been an important part of Uruguayan culture for over 200 years.  It is what survives of the ancestral heritage of Bantu culture, brought to Uruguay by enslaved Africans.  During colonial times, they called their drums tangó, and used this term to refer to the place where they gathered to perform their Candombe dances; by extension, the dances themselves were also called tangós.  Candombe music uses three drums called “repique”, “chico” and “piano”.  Tango developed simultaneously in Montevideo, Uruguay, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Although typically regarded as the creation of Italian and Spanish immigrants, the tango's music and the dance movements associated with it were deeply influenced by African dance and music.

This production made possible in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Additional support comes from the JP Morgan Chase Foundation and The Henry & Lucy Moses Fund.