Audiences who braved stormy weather conditions to see Guaguanco: The Rumba Musical at the Coconut Grove Playhouse on June 18 urged artistic director Neri Torres to schedule an encore performance so they could bring friends and family to see a second show. Neri Torres obliged, and the musical will be presented again on July 23 at the Manuel Artime Theatre, 900 SW 1 St., Little Havana (Miami), at 8 pm.Torres is Artistic Director of the Miami-based IFE-ILE Afro-Cuban Dance & Music Ensemble and choreographer of Guaguanco, a colorful spectacle of dance, drumming and song that traces the Afro-Cuban rhythms that gave birth to rumba. Guaguanco takes audiences on a whirlwind, time-traveling journey from a modern Miami Beach party jam to Havana's solares (urban ghettos) during colonial times. Audiences will see dance styles including folkloric Rumba, Cuban Son, Salsa and Afro-Modern. The journey is punctuated by both poignant and comedic moments, and audience members are sure to keep their toes tapping the whole time.
"After the performance on June 18, a number of audience members approached me and asked if we would be performing again," said Torres. "One person was so impressed by the June 18 performance that he donated the funds so we could bring the show back for an encore show."Originally from Havana, Cuba, Torres founded the IFE-ILE Afro-Cuban Dance & Music Ensemble in 1998. From 1996 through 2003, Torres was principal dancer and choreographer for Gloria Estefan, whose video "No Me Dejes De Querer," choreographed by Torres, won a Grammy Award in 2000. Torres has continued to work with world renowned pop and Latin stars such as Roselyn Sanchez, Carlos Ponce, Albita Rodriguez and Willy Chirino Torres was also the dance choreographer for actor Andy Garcia's latest film, "The Lost City."Guaguanco: The Rumba Musical (Cocktail party after the show)Manuel Artime Theatre 900 SW 1 St, Little Havana
July 23, 2005 at 8:00 pmIFE-ILE Afro-Cuban Dance and Music Ensemble (Artistic Director: Neri Torres. Guaguanco, The Rumba Musical is directed and choreographed by IFE-ILE's Artistic Director Neri Torres, and features dancers Lucky Bruno, Angélica Díaz, Eduardo Oliva, Eruadye Muñiz, Monica Isla, Jennifer Clark and guest dancer (from San Francisco, CA) Aramis Pazos. Musicians include Aruan Torres, Jose Rodriguez, Arelan Torres, Armando Gonzalez, Eduardo Napoles and Eusebio Huisi.Tickets: Order online at http://www.ticketweb.com or call 1-866-468- 7630. Single tickets prices are $35. Student and Senior Citizen tickets are $17. General Information: (305) 476-0388 or http://www.bailausa.comAbout IFE-ILE Afro-Cuban Dance EnsembleIFE-ILE is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization supported in part by the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs and the county Commissioner, the State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida humanities Council. IFE-ILE is dedicated to the preservation of the Afro-Cuban culture and traditions through the arts. The IFE-ILE Music and Dance ensemble offers a variety of classes for children and adults in drumming, Latin dance, ballet and modern.