Some of the best of our Cuban Folkloric talent in Toronto… Juan Carlos Bulnes… and Consuelo Herrera… along with Rogelio Rodriguez from Descandann will be dancing at the festival SAT May 23rd.    Juan Carlos and Rogelio will be dancing Rumba – Consuelo will also be dancing for Oshun.

Event specifics:

May 23/sat: cuttin/figure 8pm
at Oakwood Library Theatre,
341 Oakwood Ave/n of St Clair
Entrance $8

Dance cre8tors showcase old and new styles: traditional, contemporary, street, pop, and blends, with live and recorded music.

Festival details at the website:  b current.

More info below the fold

AfroCuban dancing by Juan Carlos Bulnes, Consuelo Herrera, Rogelio Rodriguez

1st dance ( 6-7,m)  Dance for the Orisha Oshun  by Consuelo Herrera Consuelo will be dancing for the Orisha ( goddess) Oshun . Deity of grace and sensuality , Oshun is the owner of the rivers . She lives in the currents and eddies and represents a force that moves forward . She is the sweetness of love and beauty and dances with passion. She is also considers a healer and brings children to those without . Oshun is the deity of renewal. She carries with her a gourd of honey with which she sweetens even the fiercest of men. Her colours are yellow and gold.

2nd Dance :  Rumba Guaguanco  ( 7min)  Consuelo Herrera – Juan  Carlos Bulnes

AfroCuban Rumba  Guanguanco.  Rumba is a drumming, chanting and dance rhythm. Secular in nature, It evolved from  the encounter of music brought to Cuba by African slaves with Spanish colonisers in the 19th century.   Rumba is divided into 3 dances the Yambu ( slower-olderstyle) The Columbia (fast solo male dance) and the Guaguanco .  Juan Carlos and Consuelo will be dancing the Guaguanco; characterised by its
improvisation in singing and dance . Guaguanco is a sexual and playful  emulating the play between rooster and hen ! The woman entices and protects herself from the man . He will try to catch her off guard with a “vacunao” ( vaccination) . He will try to tag her with a flip of a handkerchief, throwing an arm , leg ,  hand pelvis in her direction.
This dance was influence particularly by Yuca and Macuta dances brought by the Bantu ethnic groups.

3 rd dance  ( 2 to 3mn) At some point in this dance there will be appearance by  a third male dancer Rogelio Rodriguez summoning the other male dancer to a challenge with a RUMBA COLUMBIA – the fastest rhythm in the Rumba family where men compete , show off and challenge each other and the drummers into a dancing duel.

admin Event