A NIGHT of watching dancing isn’t really my thing and I thought I was about to watch the Riverdance of salsa.
But Lady Salsa tells the history of Cuba, how it became famous for its dancing, and how the country has changed over the years.
With a combination of traditional Spanish and African dance, and the costumes and music to match, you travel through the country’s history – having the story told to you along the way by the MC (Rodolfo Jiminez Espinosa).
You are then introduced to Lady Salsa herself, played by Trinidad Rolando Portocarrero, and she begins her story.
Through a blur of fast dances, numerous costume changes and the continuous up-tempo beat of the music, you watch a young Lady Salsa grow.
The second half is more of the same and the story continues through song and dance. But a sound problem with the bass still isn’t fixed – maybe it’s even worse – and the microphones give out dreadful feedback.
Audience members are invited on to the stage for a crash-course in how to salsa, a nice touch to a performance that makes you want to dance in your seat as you watch the show.
But then the pace is brought down with a dance routine about the revolution of the country, and it seems to stop the natural flow the show has gathered since the beginning and this isn’t picked up again until the end.
The cast end the show with a solo routine each and leave the audience tapping their feet, shaking their hips and cheering for more.
Lady Salsa is at Sunderland Empire until Saturday.
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