Ay Panchanga

Ay Pachanga returns to Manning Bar this weekend to celebrate the colourful birth of Salsa in 1970s New York. It is partly a performance, partly a dance party, with a 12-piece band led by Martin Taylor. 

The band plays the classics of the FANIA record label and raises the temperature of dance show favourites such as boogaloo, salsa and cha-cha among others.

Founded in New York in 1964, FANIA Records produced Latin music stars such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Ray Barreto, Willie Colon and Ruben Blades, and showcased a melting pot of musical influences derived from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, America and Panama.

Ay Pachanga fuses the 70s New York Latin barrio sounds of son Cubano, mambo, cha-cha-cha and guaracha with local popular disco, funk, soul and jazz. This fusion of rhythms was just the beginning of new hybrids such as the boogaloo, Latin jazz and salsa.

Anna Griffiths is one of the producers of the show and says, “as a Salsa dancer myself, I was intrigued by the history of the music I was dancing to, and all the stories around it, particularly those artists signed to the record label. I wanted to capture this in a show. Working with Martin Taylor, a Latin music connoisseur, and choreographer Maya Martinez, we chose pieces that best represent the variety of sounds and dances you would have seen in that era.”

So polish your dance moves, everyone, get ready to party!

Mar 30. Manning Bar, Manning House, Manning Rd, Camperdown. $32+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.manningbar.com

 

By Irina Dunn

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