Performances

Our Interpretation of Miguelito’s dances from the Disney movie COCO capture his journey to visit his family for Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos.

This is a Mexican holiday that honors the dead.  It is celebrated between October 31st and November 2nd and is a time to remember and celebrate loved ones who have passed away. 

Salsa Rueda de Casino is a fun, upbeat, high-energy Cuban dance for four to eight performers, lasting three minutes. It is a community dance in a circle as dancers follow a "caller", synchronizing their moves and switching partners at the caller's request. Audiences enjoy watching the spinning, turning, clapping, and movements in unity. 

Plena developed from Bomba towards the 20th century as slaves were freed in 1873, and Puerto Rico’s political rule was transferred from Spain to the United States in 1898. Freed slaves became part of the working class and traveled to cities along the coast searching for work. It was in the “barrios” of the city of Ponce where Plena was born. Bomba’s African roots blended? with other musical influences from the Taino Indians, Europeans, Jibaros (farmers) and other freed migrant slaves from other Caribbean islands. This fusion of cultures created Plena, a distinctive form of folkloric music native to Puerto Rico. Plena’s lyrics are like a sung newspaper about events and occurrences in daily life. 

Danza is a Puerto Rican musical genre that resembles classical European waltz, which first appeared around 1870 in Ponce, a city on Puerto Rico’s southern coast and the capital at the time. A rigid Spanish country dance (contradanza) became popular during the first third of the 19th century, but faded upon the arrival of Cuban immigrants circa 1840. The new immigrants introduced their form of music (habanera) and a more rhythmic style of dance for couples which resonated with the Puerto Rican youth at the time. Puerto Rican composers adopted the habanera music and mixed it with local musical variations hence Danza was born. Unlike Bomba y and Plena, Danza is a high society type of dance where women wear long formal gowns, and gloves, and discretely communicate to the men through signals with their handheld fans.​​​ Other popular dances from that time include Mazurka, Polka, Vals, and Paso Doble all of which are ballroom dances introduced to Puerto Rico by the Spaniards and other European immigrants. 

Cumbia El Sombrero Azul comes from El Salvador that is based on indigenous tunes and features the African Clave rhythm. Tubular bells are a cue for El Salvador's Christianity and majestic trumpets create a feeling of great fanfare for El Salvador's national pride.

Argentine Tango is a passionate and expressive dance originating from the streets of Buenos Aires in the late 19th century. It involves intricate footwork, subtle body movements, and intense connection between partners. The dance is characterized by its improvisational nature, where dancers communicate through subtle cues and responses. Argentine Tango is not just a dance but a form of communication, allowing partners to express emotions, desires, and stories through their movements. Its unique blend of intimacy, elegance, and intensity continues to captivate dancers and audiences worldwide.

La Pollera Colorá is a Colombian cumbia song, which translates as "brightly colored skirt." The name refers to a traditional, brightly colored dress that is considered the most well-known national costume for women in Colombia. It was composed in 1960 as an instrumental by clarinetist Juan Madera Castro. Singer-songwriter Wilson Choperena composed the lyrics in 1962.

Through their dances with style and grace they shine on the dance floor. These are the Ladies in Red

(Salsa Guy's Dancers). They perform Salsa, Bachata and Cha-cha.

We proudly present a brief history of the Puerto Rican festivals and its characters. These characters and their masks are an essential part of these activities that occur primarily in the coastal towns and are an integral part of Puerto Rican folklore since the first half of the 19th century. Folk Characters are introduced to the public with an explanation of their meaning and purpose. Our performance features up to six characters and lasts up to 30 minutes. Today, the Cabezudos represent historical characters, painters, writers, patriots, and composers, whether alive or deceased and also everyday people who become icons like Don Saul, the street vendor of white lilies in the Old City. More information about our characters here!