REICHHOLD CENTER UNVEILS 34TH SEASON - Including Mambo Performances

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REICHHOLD CENTER UNVEILS 34TH SEASON
FEATURING INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT

August 30, 2012

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With best-selling entertainers from Europe, Africa, South America, Latin America, the United States and Caribbean the Reichhold Center's 34th season, unveiled on Thursday evening during Business After Hours promises to be one of the center's most diverse yet.
Between October and May, the Center will present a top-selling R&B vocalist, England's hottest all-female quartet, a famous Latin percussionist, an Argentine cabaret, and an African-style circus show.
“This season is full of international flavor and is certainly one of our most ambitious to date,” said Reichhold Center Manager of Marketing and Development Karen Gutloff. “Many of the performers will be familiar to the public, but there are others who while acclaimed worldwide, will be new to the Virgin Islands audience. We believe this introduction to performers from far parts of the world is going to be exciting for our patrons.
The multi-cultural season of music, dance, and theatrical productions kicks off in October with top-selling R&B vocalist Brian McKnight. McKnight performs on Friday, October 26, 2012. Billed as “An Evening with Brian McKnight,” the concert will feature McKnight in an intimate performance on piano, singing from his catalogue of hits. McKnight’s debut album, released at the age 19, spawned the top 20 single “One Last Cry.” From there, McKnight ruled the airwaves with hits, including “Anytime” which sold more than 2 million copies and received a Grammy nomination. His songs, crossed over from R&B to receive heavy play on pop music stations as well. McKnight’s hits include the chart toppers “Back At One,” and “Crazy Love.”
Sensational Latin and Afro-Cuban flavors take center stage when Tito Puente, Jr. brings his 13-piece orchestra to the Reichhold stage on Saturday, November 17, 2012. The son of legendary mambo king Tito Puente, Sr. is keeping his family’s musical legacy alive. The percussionist and his band perform lively versions of his father’s classics, as well as modern spins on Latin jazz and salsa. Patrons will not want to miss the salsa party in the Reichhold concession area after the concert.
Jazz fans get an extra bonus with a concert presenting not one, but three, of the top performers in the smooth jazz genre. Najee’s Smooth Side of Jazz concert featuring female vocalist Maysa and Swedish pianist Alex Bugnon takes place Saturday, January 26, 2013. Saxophonist Najee is credited with giving birth to the genre of smooth jazz. Najee became a mainstay on jazz stations with his debut CD “Najee’s Theme” and stayed popular with such hits as “Betcha Didn’t Know.” Maysa’s sultry alto has earned her a loyal fan base. Her voice has often been compared to that of R&B singer Phyllis Hyman. Jazz pianist Alex Bugnon, a native of Switzerland, began his recording career with the debut album Love Season, which reached the pop charts and Top 40 of R&B charts, as did his follow-up Head Over Heels. The three artists and collaborators will perform their individual hits and join together on smooth jazz classics.
When the Olympics broadcast presented a tribute to British music, many Americans were riveted by the sexy, all-female quartet playing classical violin—with a major twist. England’s young, stylish group, known as Bond Quartet makes its way across the pond to the Reichhold stage on Saturday, March 9, 2013. Bond Quartet has taken Europe and the world by storm with their stunning looks and vibrant energetic performance on the electric violin. With more than 4 million records sold, the women of Bond are the best-selling string quartet in the history of the music industry. Bond Quartet transforms turns classical string music on its head, using the electric violin to render Latin, Indian, electronica and pop rhythms.
Reggae has become a mainstay of the Reichhold Center season and fans of the genre will be delighted to hear from one of the brightest and freshest voices from Jamaica on Saturday, March 30, 2013. ETANA debuted on the reggae scene in 2008 with her breakout hit “Roots” and quickly built a catalogue of conscious music and a massive fan base. Her debut CD, The Strong One, was highly successful and spawned the hits “I Am Not Afraid,” “Blessings,” and “Don’t Forget.” The reggae show also features a performance from Dominica’s sensation Temptatious (Tracy Johnson). A talented songwriter and singer, Temptatious has performed at Jamaica’s Rebel Salute 2011 alongside Queen Ifrica, along with other reggae festivals.
Moving from the Caribbean to Latin America, Reichhold brings the tantalizing story of Argentina’s tango to life on stage with Rhythm and Passion on Saturday, May 18, 2013. This cabaret-style theatrical production takes the audience on a mystical journey to discover the people, the stories and the drama behind the salsa, tango and gaucho. An international cast of singers and musicians perform before a backdrop of exquisite scenery depicting the origins of the tango in the seedy bars of 1920s Buenos Aires, Argentina. The audience will revel in the joy and exhilaration of salsa dancing in the streets, and delight in the antics of the Argentine cowboy—the Gaucho—and the dramatic storytelling of his art.
The Reichhold Center family series is back with two exciting shows for family members of all ages.
Theater of Physical Comedy: AGA-BOOM has performed to sell-out crowds throughout the United States with its hilarious brand of slapstick comedy. On November 10, 2012 these colorfully dressed clowns and performers will get children laughing as they pratfall, stilt-walk, and engage in comedy antics. Children will take special delight in the grand finale that engulfs the audience in a barrage of paper streamers, confetti, and balloons.
The second family series group comes to Reichhold Center riding the wave of their successful turn on the hit NBC show “America’s Got Talent.” Cirque Zuma Zuma performs Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23, 2013 with more than a dozen African acrobats, gymnasts and tumblers showcasing eye-popping and draw dropping feats, including a mile high human pyramid.
Rounding out the season is a number of co-productions with community partners, including The Forum, The UVI Music Department, and the Virgin Islands Lottery:

• On October 13, 2012 The Forum Presents the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra with Superior Court Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra. The two orchestras will collaborate on a number of musical selections and perform individually.
• The Virgin Islands Lottery and UVI Music Department collaborate to bring Motown & More: The Power of Music from the 60s, 70s & 80s. Some of the Virgin Islands’ top singers and dancers join this talent extravaganza on Saturday, October 20, 2012 for the ultimate trip down memory lane.
• The UVI Music Department returns to the Reichhold stage on Saturday, December 8, 2012 for A Golden Jubilee Christmas, featuring the UVI Concert Band, UVI Steel Orchestra, and UVI choir.
• The Office of the President of the University of the Virgin Islands presents the Alfred Heath Lecture Series, a free forum on April 2, 2013 (Reichhold Center) and April 3, 2013 (UVI St. Croix campus). The lecture series will feature a nationally recognized speaker discussing issues of interest to the Virgin Islands community.

Reichhold Center’s Arts in Education program will feature free student workshops by most of the artists on the season line up. Performers Tito Puente, Jr. Najee, Bond Quartet, Etana, Rhythm and Passion, Zuma Zuma, and Aga-Boom will each present educational workshops to students from public, private and parochial schools.
The Reichhold Center 2012-2013 season is made possible by the generous support of sponsors, including: International Capital and Management Company, Virgin Islands Lottery, First Bank, Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority, VI Council on the Arts, Marriott Frenchman’s Reef Hotel, and Innovative. The Center’s performances are also supported by generous donations from individuals in the Reichhold Center Donor Circle.
Reichhold Center will sell season subscriptions between August 30 and September 7, 2012. Season subscriptions guarantee patrons their preferred seating for each show within the, Foundation series. Beginning September 10, the Center will make available for sale single tickets for each performance. For more information, call the Reichhold box office at (340) 693-1559. Or visit www.reichholdcenter.com.

View our press release archive for our previous seasons.

Latin Dance / Latina Danza de Arte Slide Show:

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The Cha Cha Revolution:

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Dance Story Shorts:
By: Mr. Roger M. Christian

The Cha Cha Revolution:
In Havanah, Cuba during the early to Mid ' 50s, several roving bands of Cuban youth went around asking Americans for nickles, times etc. Their torn tee-shirts told their story all too well. Moreover, the city in which they play, beged and lived, Havanah was growing. Populations from the country side fled to Cuba's major cities in the hope to find work. Previous rains and flooding caused problems with Cuban agriculture.

About that time, American popular culture was making significant in-roads into Cuban Middle Class Society - which also meant that it was also American Mob influenced. The Organized Crime Families owned much of the Hotel and Gambling Casinos at that time. The Batista Government was totally bribed by thase thugs- Myer Lansky was the fait accompli Prime Minister and Exchecker of Cuba..

Never-the-less, it was the growing popularity of Elvis, espeically his hip action, which finally ignited the cultural clash. The Cuban teens-who were trying to survive, and whose desires and expectations looked to the Cuab mountains knowing there was Castrol-were about to launch themselves into cultural history.

A couple years earlier. Cha Cha Cha / Chas Chas Chas had already made some initiative forewrays into Cuban culture by those who desired a slower version of the Mambo. This percepitated the : chasse : movement to also appear-for they were not that too old.

Never-the-less, and a couple years later, with the coming of Elvis, along with his hip action , into the picture of Cuban mainstream middle class culture, what also followed was the jitterbug - a Southern version of the Lindy Hop ( then ). The convergence of these cultural developments inflamed the nationalistic passions of these Cuban teens. There was the foreseen vision by these teens of Elvis's radical hip action replacing Cuban Motion ever looming over the horizon.

Then Chas Chas Chas exploded in Nationalistic cultural revival epitones to Latina Musica.

The first appearence of radical street dances first appeared in Cuban cultural history and now " established " traditions, and have not stopped since, and what happended is that these teen started to play a faster form of Chas Chas Chas ( the Cuban word for Cha Cha - etc ), and took of the flare swing and under-arm turns of the Jitterbug and Cubanized it with Cuban hip motions into a full blown Chas Chas Chas street dance. The influence of Elvis, hip and all, was suddenly lost, the only time in popular culture history to have ever occured.

About then Castrol made his move, and when Chas Cahs Chas was at the height of its Cuban popularity, and virtually invading every American urban center where there were Latinas playing Latina Danza - Salsa, Castrol enter the City of Havanah.

At the center where all this took place, the plaza was renamed to Chas Chas Plaza, and adjacent is a dance hall with some of these at one time torn tee - shirted teens, now aged dancers still cling to their dance, and among some of the best cigars in the world. Whose smoke mixes with the most delightful scent of perfumes-all Cuban made.

Since the 50's, and even though the Castrol government tried to curb creativity with in Cuban music, and subsequently dance, the cycle of innovative street dances still is on-going. There are still roving teens with torn tee - shirts, and even though the American mob has left, except for the newer forms coming from Columbia. Thus during every 6 year cycle a new dance appears, and it all started when the first batch of Cuban teens who went into a nationalistic cultural revival to resist the intrusion of popular American culture into the folkways of Cuban society.

Ask any one who is Elvis in Havanah, and you get nothing but a very perplex face.

Mr. Roger M. Christian
August 7, 2004

Latina Danza de Arte

The Latin Dance Arts was firmly established before major European influence deminished its sexy alure well before the 1880s. With style variation of Guanarcha / Guanguanarcha [ guanguanacha - they had seven spellings for this dance ] and others it attracted wide attention of visitors to the Islands of South and Central America - via sailors rumors.

Then as these countries started to develop a native middle class, those who had ethnic ties to these nations instead of supporting their native cultures looked to the European Expat populations - who stuill exiist today, and they started to mimic their social and cultural standards of Victorian Europe. All the while Europe start to entice these exotic dancers and dances to their cities; they both made a lot of money as a result.

As a result the wildness of Latina Danza de Arte started to be tamed around 1910 with the appearance of the Danzon and Son. This still is in ongoing process which today the New York City version is now called Salsa [ ones ] in stesad of the much wilder Mambo [ twos ].

Nonetheless in places like Chile and other Latin American Nations, they have started to turn back the pages of history and are exploring as the photo above suggests.

They are not necessarily interested in the roles, now presently, which were performend during pre - 1880s. However, as the years of additional research contuinues, and field cultural explorations in both African and Espana continues, they will eventually start to take up and perform once again the fertility, sexuality, and mating Latina Danza de Arte dances of this glorious past.

It has alraady started in Brazil, and Cuba is now knocking at this cultural door, topless, traditional proper presentations themselves.

Mr. Roger M. Christian

Latin Dance Cities Created

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A WebSite which has it all, and of which bring into focus the real popularity of the Latina Danza Cultura both Internationally and Internationally. What this also does, in the effort to bring all the different elements together is that allows those who need more information to select their destination cities

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