There’s a plan behind the Navidad Latina: An Evening of Spanish and Latin Carols and Dance concert — organizers want to get people in the holiday mood à la Latin American style. ”What we want to show is the spontaneity that exists in the Latin American celebrations,” says Raúl Orlando Edwards, artistic director of the Foundation for Modern Music. American and European celebrations can be somewhat solemn and intimate affairs, according to Edwards. While there are plenty of happy Christmas carols to sing, few people would call them exactly danceable. Not so in Latin American traditions, where dancing is practically a requirement and part of the usual caroling night’s journey from house to house. The Navidad Latina’s procession will have a much shorter way to go as it makes its way around one of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston galleries, but Edwards says that won’t dampen the party spirit. ”We grab people from the audience and bring them onstage [in Navidad Latina]. In a nutshell, we want to show how the traditions are very lively.” More than a dozen musicians, dancers and singers will provide the entertainment for the annual event including percussionist Jorge ”Cro-Cro” Orta, members of Solero Flamenco, pianist Paul Boyd and Edwards, himself a baritone and dancer.
Thu., Dec. 20, 7 p.m., 2012
This article appears in Jun 14-20, 2012.