Join the center at 6 p.m. for free Latin social dance lessons.Two-time Grammy Award-winning salsa and Latin jazz band Spanish Harlem Orchestra will perform a free show outdoors at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center.
The performance, part of a month of ¡CELEBRACIÓN! events honoring Latin culture, is set for Thursday, Oct. 12. Join the center at 6 p.m. for free Latin social dance lessons with Sergio Rodriguez. Food trucks will be on-site, and bars will open at 6. The show will start at 7 p.m.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra sets the standard for excellence for authentic, New York-style, hard-core salsa, according to the band’s website. This year, the band celebrates its 15th anniversary. Their energy on stage, rich sound and musical precision leave audiences mesmerized until the last note is played. With an unwavering respect for the music’s rich history, 13 world-class musicians and vocalists come together to create an unparalleled musical experience. Their mission is to keep the musical legacy of salsa dura alive and expand its audience to those who love great music, not just Latin music.
The band's mission is to keep the musical legacy of salsa dura alive and expand its audience to those who love great music, not just Latin music.With four albums, and as many Grammy nominations, this musical powerhouse knows it is crucial to continually push themselves and raise the bar. They recently released their fifth album, featuring two of America’s great jazz icons, Chick Corea and saxophonist Joe Lovano.
The New York Times declared, “The best thing at the Newport Jazz Festival was the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.” Timeout New York, which billed SHO among its Top Live Shows, said, “Spanish Harlem Orchestra will be a bounty for both wallflowers and hip shakers.”
For ¡CELEBRACIÓN! the Alys Stephens Center is proud to collaborate with the UAB campus family and Birmingham community and art partners to bring events honoring the Latin community in Birmingham. From festivals and Latin social dance to film screenings and performances by Grammy Award-winning artists, join the center and its community partners to celebrate this richly thriving community throughout our great city.
On Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 5:30 p.m., join the center and Rodriguez for a free Afro-Cuban social dance class. On Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 5:30 p.m., join the center and Norma Flores of Birmingham’s Ballet Folklórico Corazón Azteca for a free Danza Azteca y Baile Folklórico de México social dance class. On Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 5:30 p.m., learn the tango in a free community Latin dance class led by Sara Alvarez and Roswell Pfister. Neither previous dance knowledge nor a partner is necessary. Explore the full list of events online.