An American Tango
Hosted by State Street Ballet on CYA Live
9.99 USD
Join in this online interactive event on a laptop/desktop using the latest version of Google Chrome. State Street Ballet’s original production of An American Tango , choreographed by William Soleau, is the true story of ballroom dance sensations Frank and Yolanda Veloz, and is based on a script written by Guy Veloz, the youngest of their children. It chronicles their journey from the depths of Hell’s Kitchen in New York, to the Golden Age of cinema, ending in one final record-breaking, yet bittersweet performance at the Hollywood Bowl. Their story, an American love story that has been lost in history, is brought back to life through breathtaking choreography, gorgeous costumes that are true replicas of the gowns that put Yolanda Veloz on the Best Dressed List, vibrant music from the Jazz Age, and multimedia projections that tell the history of America from the 1920s – 40s. An onstage narrator, “Auggie”, is played by acclaimed actor Joseph Fuqua, and he goes in and out of the action, leading the audience through this unforgettable story. State Street Ballet’s beautifully trained dancers will be seen in the Charleston, Castle Walk, TicoTico, Tango, Lindy Hop, Swing, Waltz, and some absolutely heart-stopping duets. This poignant and poetic performance has touched the hearts of everyone who has seen it, as it pays homage to the Veloz legacy as well as the transformative nature of dance itself. Choreography by William Soleau Written by Guy Veloz Music by Aaron Copland, David Maxwell, James P. Johnson, Louis Achille Hirsch, Duke Ellington, James Reese Europe, George Gershwin, Fats Waller, Richard Geere, Mariano Mores, Ismael Betancor, Astor Piazzolla, Zequinha de Abreu, Max Richter, Jimmy McHugh, Lalo Schifrin, Zdenek Fibich Costume Design: A. Christina Giannini Assistant to Designer: Anaya Cullen Costume Construction: Denise Caracas, Milly Colahan, Ben-Oni Cortes, Nicole Thompson Lighting Design: Sammy Jelinek Multimedia Design: David Bazemore and William Soleau An American Tango was filmed at State Street Ballet’s October 22, 2016 performance at The Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA 2016-17 Season Sponsors: Margo Cohen-Feinberg and Robert Feinberg; Lillian Lovelace; and Tim Mikel Performance Sponsors: Marlene and Bob Veloz Additional Funding: Barbara Burger and Paul E. Munch; and Yolanda Veloz
Featuring Leila Drake, William Soleau