Flushing Town Hall presents CARIBE, a concert for families by the Folkore Urbano Orchestra, on April 29

Folklore Urbano Orchestra

— A celebration of Latin American music and dance —

On Saturday, April 29, Flushing Town Hall will present El Barrio Project – CARIBE, a family-friendly performance for audiences of all ages by the Folklore Urbano Orchestra.

Led by Colombian pianist, composer, and artistic director Pablo Mayor, Folklore Urbano Orchestra’s performance will feature a spectacle of music and dance celebrating the roots and traditions of Latin America. The show will cross continents and cultures, blending sounds and movements from West Africa, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba, and New York City—with authenticity and flair!

Audiences can look forward to a high-energy performance from the Folklore Urbano Orchestra, which brings together Nuyorican vocalists Jainardo Batista and Deborah Resto, Puerto Rican/Cuban percussionist Oreste Abrantes, and Colombian maestro Nestor Gómez on percussion with elite instrumentalists from New York’s jazz and Latin music scene, including Venezuelan violinist/trombonist Eddie Venegas, who are joined by world-renowned modern, salsa and Colombian dancer Daniel Fetecua and partner. 

Preceding the 2:15 PM concert, audiences can attend a 1PM workshop at which Daniel Fetecua and partner will lead a dance class introducing Colombian rhythms like Cumbia and Currulao, the fun steps of New York City salsa, and the relationship between drum and dancer.

“We are so excited to welcome children and families to a dance concert of Caribbean and Latin American culture. Pablo Mayor and the Folklore Urbano Orchestra will get you up on your feet! Some students may also recognize Pablo as one of our amazing teaching artists, along with dance teacher Daniel Fetecua, too. We look forward to seeing you at this lively event,” says Gabrielle M. Hamilton, Director of Education and Public Programs at Flushing Town Hall.

As a band leader, Mayor is unmatched in skill as a jazz composer and arranger. With Grammy credits on Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra album “Offense of the Drum,” Mayor is a career pianist, having performed with both the legendary Cuban charango band Orquesta Broadway and the folkloric establishment Los Pleneros de la 21, with music recorded by Colombian’s most renowned folk singer Totó la Momponsina. 

The Folklore Urbano Orchestra and dancers have toured extensively, performing throughout Canada, Houston, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Colombia. Mayor’s highly acclaimed albums “Aviso,” “Baile/Dance,” “Corazón,” and the newest “El Barrio Project-CARIBE” have been broadcast throughout the world. 

Pablo Mayor established his music production company Folklore Urbano NYC in 2000, shortly upon arriving to New York City, with a mission to unify people through global music. Winner of the 2020 Artist Award from ArtsWestchester, Mayor is first and foremost a creator. Hailing from Cali, Colombia, Mayor dedicated his first sixteen years in New York City to writing, producing, and promoting Colombian music via the first three albums of his band the Folklore Urbano Orchestra, an international tour, and as founder and producer of NYC’s Colombian music festival Encuentro NYC. 

Daniel Fetecua has been a soloist member of the Limón Dance Company for ten years (2006-2016), dancing lead roles in Jose Limón’s master pieces, and has appeared as guest artist in Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring and Tannhäuser. He is Co-Artistic Director of Cumbia For Kids/Cumbia For All and is a longtime collaborator of Pablo Mayor’s.

Tickets to the performance are $15 General Admission ($10 for Members, Seniors, and Students with ID).

For the venue’s full Spring 2023 schedule, visit:

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents

For those unable to attend events in person, Flushing Town Hall has launched Culture Stream. Subscriptions start at $5 per month.

COVID Policy: 

Flushing Town Hall no longer requires visitors or performers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19; wearing a mask is optional but recommended. For more details, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety

Support Global Arts with a Gift Today!

All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends

Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization and receives major support in 2022 from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and New York City Council Members Sandra Ung, Tiffany Caban, Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Vickie Paladino, Lynn Schulman, and Jessica Won; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Flushing Town Hall is a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens across all five boroughs with a distinct private-public partnership with the City of New York and a commitment to serving all New Yorkers.

Land Acknowledgement:

Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.