Everybody’s Coming to the American Utopia
Whether Indigenous, African, Asian, Pacific or European,
when you’re here, you’re a New Yorker!
Things to Do in NYC This Weekend
October 22-24, 2021 ~ Some amazing Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians are in town.
The 31st Tompkins Square Park Dog Parade is at the East River Amphitheater in the Lower East Side on Saturday from 12-3pm. FREE.
Day of the Dead celebrations start next weekend. Get ready to make an ofrenda for your beloved ancestors. La Sirena in the East Village is one of the best stores in NYC for Day of the Dead products. lasirenanyc.com
Latin Music
Timba legend Isaac Delgado (NG La Banda) plays Birdland to Saturday. 🇨🇺
Nueva Trova legend Pablo Milanés plays The Town Hall Saturday. 🇨🇺
Chucho Valdés protegé Dayramir Gonzalez & Habana enTRANCé plays Flushing Town Hall on Saturday. 🇨🇺
Ozuna headlines a Reggaeton show at Prudential Center on Friday. 🇵🇷
India plays Lehman Center on Saturday. 🇵🇷
Latin Film
Go see Dune in the theater. The director is French Canadian. Montréal has a videogame industry and a quirky French vision. “Dune” has both aesthetics.
Latin Art
Felix Gonzalez-Torres: inbetweenness opens at the Judd Foundation in SoHo on Friday. 🇨🇺🏳️🌈
Search New York Latin Culture Magazine
Autumn in New York
Why does it seem so exciting? October is one of the most beautiful months of the year in New York City. #ThisIsBroadway #NYCReawakening #AllInNYC
CHECK BEFORE YOU GO
Proof of vaccination is required indoors for ages 12+. Vaccination is safe, free (from The City), effective, and has nothing to do with citizenship. Even tourists are welcome. For a first shot, NYC will pay New Yorkers $100 nyc.gov. If needed, you can be vaccinated at home. Please get your shots and enjoy the greatest city on Earth (nyc.gov).
Every business has different rules, so check before you go.
Daymé Arocena is “Cuba’s Finest Young Female Singer”
Daymé Arocena sings Cuban Jazz for the World Music Institute Women’s Voices Series at Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village on Thu, Nov 11. From $25. worldmusicinstitute.org 🇨🇺
We have never seen New York City respond to an artist the way its loves Daymé. She is more than a singer. She represents Afro-Caribbean culture in its fullest expression, with a lot of Swing. Ashé.
Latin Art
Being a New Yorker is an art form unto itself.
Opening This Week
October 18-24, 2021
Felix Gonzalez-Torres: inbetweenness opens at the Judd Foundation in SoHo on Fri, Oct 22. 🇨🇺🏳️🌈
Art Fairs
The E/AB Editions Artists’ Book Fair is virtual Oct 18-31. FREE eabfair.org 🇧🇷🇨🇦🇫🇷🇮🇱🇮🇹🇲🇽
The IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair is virtual at fineartprintfair.org to Oct 31. FREE 🇨🇦🇪🇸🇻🇪
Editor’s Pick
Scherezade Garcia: Stories of Wonder: When the Sea is my Land is at Praxis in Chelsea to Nov 13. praxis-art.com 🇩🇴
Greater New York 2021 is at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, Queens to Apr 18, 2022. 🇵🇷|🇲🇽|🇦🇷|🇪🇬🇳🇬|🇺🇸
Surrealism Beyond Borders is at The Met Fifth Avenue in Central Park to Jan 30, 2022. 🇨🇺🇭🇹🇲🇶🇵🇷 | 🇦🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴 | 🇫🇷🇮🇹🇪🇸
This is Broadway!
Opening this week:
Mrs. Doubtfire, based on the 1993 Robin Williams drag comedy, resumes previews at the Stephen Sondheim on Thu, Oct 21, opens Dec 5, 2021 and runs to May 8, 2022. Ages 8+. From $49. mrsdoubtfirebroadway.com
Jagged Little Pill, the Alanis Morissette jukebox musical, reopens at the Broadhurst on Thu, Oct 21. From $49 jaggedlittlepill.com
The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest-running musical, reopens at the Majestic on Fri, Oct 22 for an open run. From $29. thephantomoftheopera.com 🇫🇷
Tickets are on sale now. Learn how to save money on Broadway tickets.
Off-Broadway
The Visitor, based on Thomas McCarthy’s 2007 movie about NYC immigration, is a world-premiere Off-Broadway musical at The Public Theater in NoHo to Nov 21, 2021. From $90. 🇺🇸
Latin Broadway
American Utopia, David Byrne’s jukebox musical, is at the St James. From $59. americanutopiabroadway.com 🇧🇷🇨🇦🇨🇴🇫🇷🏴🇵🇷🇺🇸
Chicago is at the Ambassador starring Ana Villafañe, Bianca Marroquín, and Lillias White. 🇨🇺🇸🇻🇲🇽🇺🇸
Freestyle Love Supreme (SPECIAL TONY AWARD, Lin-Manuel Miranda) is at the Booth Theater to Jan 2, 2022. From $59. 🇵🇷
Lackawanna Blues is at the Friedman to Oct 31. Playwright Ruben Santiago-Hudson is 🇵🇷🇺🇸
Moulin Rouge! (BEST MUSICAL) is at the Hirschfeld. (12+) From $69. It’s an Australian play about Belle Epoque France, with a leading lady, Natalie Mendoza, with Filipina and Spanish descent. 🇫🇷🇵🇭🇪🇸
Hamilton is ongoing at the Richard Rodgers. Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda is New York Puerto Rican, so everyone’s included. 🇵🇷🇺🇸
Thoughts of a Colored Man is in previews at the John Golden for an Oct 31 opening. From $49. thoughtsofacoloredman.com
Quinteto Astor Piazzolla is the Ensemble of the Piazzolla Foundation
Quinteto Astor Piazzolla celebrates “100 Years of Astor Piazzolla,” for the World Music Institute at Peter Norton Symphony Space on Sun, Nov 14. From $35. worldmusicinstitute.org 🇦🇷
Nobody plays Piazzolla better than this. His Nuevo Tango changed Argentine Tango forever. The World Music Institute is wondering where does World Music go from here? You have to go the concert to find out.
Dance NYC News
World Ballet Day gives you a look behind the scenes at a day in the world’s leading ballet companies at worldballetday.com on Tue, Oct 19. 🇧🇷🇨🇦🇨🇺🇲🇽🇵🇷🇺🇸 | 🇫🇷🇮🇹🇷🇺🇪🇸 | 🇨🇳🇭🇰🇰🇷🇯🇵🇸🇬🇹🇭 | 🇦🇺🇳🇿
Ongoing
The Fall for Dance Festival is at New York City Center, Oct 13-24. $15. 🇦🇷🇮🇹🇵🇭🇵🇷
Coming Soon
Cosmopolitan Mosaic, a live and digital dance and film performance inspired by NYC’s cultural blend, is at Anita’s Way in the Bank of America Tower in Times Square on Thu, Oct 28 from 3-6pm. FREE. chashama.org 🇵🇷🇮🇳🇺🇸
Aurelio Martínez is a Leading Voice of the Garifuna, the Last Carib
Aurelio Martínez & the Garifuna Soul Band play Garifuna Folk for the World Music Institute at Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village on Thu, Dec 16. worldmusicinstitute.org 🇭🇳|🇧🇿🇬🇹🇳🇮🇺🇸
Garifuna culture is so many things. It’s Indigenous Kalinago of the Lesser Antilles. That’s Carib, but mixed with Taíno. The African Diaspora elements are familiar to many of us, but the language is Garifuna.
We may not understand the words, but everyone understands the drum and the smile. Aurelio’s music makes you laugh with hints of Antillean Calypso and Nigerian Afrobeat. Wabafu garifunadancecompany.com from the Garifuna community in Crotona, The Bronx, opens the show. They’re amazing. Aurelio’s a great dancer too. This is pure love in so many ways.
Latin Dancing
Jimmy Bosch (Spanish Harlem Orchestra) plays Salsa for dancing at Latin Mondays at Taj in the Flatiron District, Mon, Oct 18. 🇵🇪
Lalo Mora plays Regional Mexican at La Boom in Woodside, Queens on Sun, Oct 24 at 10pm. $35. 🇲🇽
Salsa Dance
Jimmy Bosch plays Salsa for dancing at Latin Mondays at Taj in the Flatiron District, Mon, Oct 18. 🇵🇪
Talia Castro-Pozo’s Sunset Salsa dance party is at Pier 45 in Hudson River Park in the West Village, Thursdays to Oct 28, from 6:30pm. FREE 🇵🇪
Tango Dance
Tango La Nacional is Thursdays at La Nacional in Chelsea. 🇦🇷
El Destino is Sundays at Solas in Greenwich Village. 🇺🇸
Swing Dance
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks play Hot Jazz for Swing dancing at Bond 45 Downstairs in the Times Square Theater District, Mon & Tue from 8-11pm. 🇮🇹
Swing 46 in Hell’s Kitchen, Tue-Sun. swing46.nyc
Latin Film Opening This Week
Dune, by French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Sicario), opens citywide on Fri, Oct 22. 🇨🇦
Now Playing
El Planeta by Amalia Ulman is at IFC Center in the West Village to Thu, Oct 21. 🇪🇸
Son of Monarchs by Alexis Gambis is at Cinema Village and Cobble Hill Cinemas to Thu, Oct 21. sonofmonarchs.com 🇲🇽
Cannes Palme d’Or winner Titane by Julia Ducournau is at IFC Center in the West Village to Thu, Oct 21. 🇫🇷
Film Festivals
The Bushwick Film Festival opens Wednesday at Lot45 in Bushwick, goes online, and closes at Regal Cinemas in Downtown Brooklyn on Saturday. bushwickfilmfestival.com
Latin Music
¡Aguanile, mai, mai!
Latin Jazz
Issac Delgado y La Novena play Cuban Timba at Birdland in Hell’s Kitchen Tue-Sat at 7 & 9:30pm. From $30. 🇨🇺
Dayramir Gonzalez & Habana enTRANCé play Cuban Jazz at Flushing Town Hall in Flushing, Queens on Sat, Oct 23 at 7pm. $20. 🇨🇺
India brings her Inmensa Tour to Lehman Center in Jerome Park, The Bronx on Sat, Oct 23 at 8pm. From $45. 🇵🇷
Latin Folk
Cuban Nueva Trova legend Pablo Milanés brings his Dias de Luz Tour to The Town Hall in Midtown, Manhattan on Sat, Oct 23 at 8pm. From $45. 🇨🇺
Regional Mexican
Lalo Mora plays Regional Mexican at La Boom in Woodside, Queens on Sun, Oct 24 at 10pm. $35. 🇲🇽
Classical Music
The NY Philharmonic is in season at Lincoln Center. 🇮🇹
The Metropolitan Opera is in season at Lincoln Center. 🇮🇹
Coming Soon
Daymé Arocena sings Cuban Jazz for the World Music Institute Women’s Voices Series at Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village on Thu, Nov 11, 2021 at 8pm (7pm doors). From $25. worldmusicinstitute.org 🇨🇺
Quinteto Astor Piazzolla celebrates “100 Years of Astor Piazzolla,” for the World Music Institute at Peter Norton Symphony Space on Sun, Nov 14 at 7:30pm. (6:30pm doors). From $35. worldmusicinstitute.org 🇦🇷
Latin Sports
Soccer
NYCFC plays Major League Soccer at Yankee Stadium in Concourse, The Bronx through Nov 7.
NY Red Bulls play Major League Soccer at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey (Newark) through Nov 7.
Latin Television
PBS Thirteen does great work explaining who we are and how we got to this moment in our American history.
News
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It is streaming on American Masters on PBS Thirteen to Wed, Oct 20. 🇵🇷
POV “Fruits of Labor” about life as an undocumented American teenager is streaming on PBS Thirteen. 🇲🇽
Latin Traditions
Culture is the fabric of meaning we create to make sense of the cycle of life and death.
We celebrate different ways, but being human we all do similar things around the world and across time.
In the Americas, Indigenous, African, Asian and European traditions are blended together as Latin.
No tradition is better or worse than any other. We are all human.
News
This Thursday, celebrate:
- National Chocolate Day, the MesoAmerican treat.
- International Creole Day and our French Afro-Caribbean mix. 🇩🇲 🇱🇨
- The Feast of St Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of lost causes. 🇮🇹
Next Sunday, celebrate:
- Halloween, the ancient Celtic fall festival of Samhain. 🏴🇫🇷🇮🇪🏴🏴
- Make an ofrenda to invite your deceased family members to visit on the Day of the Dead. 🇲🇽
Coming Soon
Mon, Nov 1, celebrate:
- Native American Heritage Month 🇺🇸
- On Puerto Rican Heritage Month, remember Atabey, the supreme Taíno goddess of fresh water and fertility, and her son Yúcahu, the god of men’s fertility. 🇵🇷
- All Saints Day 🇮🇹
Tue, Nov 2, celebrate:
- Day of the Dead and remember deceased family 🇲🇽
- Mictlancihuatl, the Aztec goddess of the underworld. 🇲🇽
- All Souls Day 🇫🇷🇮🇹
Wed, Nov 4, celebrate Panama Separation Day.🇵🇦
Thu, Nov 4, celebrate:
On the Day of the Dead, We Remember Family
Day of the Dead or Día de Muertos is a Pan-Latin tradition, but the Mexican tradition has gone global. Catrina and the skull imagery are striking, but there is nothing bad or scary about it. We don’t fear death. In Aztec tradition, death is reality and life is only a dream.
Día de Muertos is several days of colorful celebrations honoring our deceased family members. The concept is that you live as long as someone remembers you, so we remember our loved ones.
According to European tradition (Celtic Samhain or Halloween), this is the time when the year’s dead pass over. While the gates to the afterlife are open, souls can also travel the other way to visit us.
So on October 31, we make home altars called “ofrendas” with photos, mementos and things our deceased relatives liked. It’s an invitation to visit. Child souls visit on November 1. Adult souls visit on November 2.
The tradition blends Italian, Spanish, Indigenous Aztec/Maya, and American traditions of the USA into something uniquely Mexican, but there are wonderful celebrations all over the Latin world. It’s really “The Day of Dead Family,” and family is very Latin.
We lost so many loved ones this year, that this Day of the Dead is special. May you always be remembered.
Wish You Were Here in NYC
Right now is one of the best times to visit New York City. Wish you were here in NYC! Don’t you?
Ashé