2019 SAN FRANCISCO RUEDA FESTIVAL

HOTEL WHITCOM, SAN FRANCISCO

SATURDAY NIGHT FEBRUARY 16, 2019

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY TOM EHRLICH © 2019

The historic Hotel Whitcom was the location of the 11th Annual San Fraicisco Rueda Festival.  As usual the festival included workshops, dance performances, dancing to DJs and live music.  This year the headliner was one of the great timba bands fom Cuba - El Niño y La Verdad.  I attended the Saturday night portion of the festival.  What follows is my report from that night.

DJ Walt Digz

Considered one of the best DJs in the Bay Area, Walt Digz played the best of Cuban Timba for the people's dancing inbetween performances.

Yaniel "Chini" Perez Domenech

Chini, originally from Matanzas, now lives in Minnesota, US.  He and his dance group perfomred Saturday night.

Another dance performer from Cuba.  I did not get his name.

Dance group from Mexico

Denmis Bain Savigne (with hat) orignially from Santiago de Cuba resides in the Bay Area, doing a dance routine with Yismari Ramos Tellez and her dance group

Dancers of the dance group lead by Yismari Ramos Tellez performing

Yismari Ramos Tellez

Yismari, originally from Havana leads a dance group, is a creative choreographer and an excellent dancer and  instructor.

Yismari Ramos Tellez

Roberto Borrell and his wife Claudia Finkle

Roberto Borrell, a well respected dancer, percussionist and instructor, is originally from Havana. Roberto lead a few workshops during the festival.

Yeni Molinet

Yeni is a great dancer and instructor originally from Villa Clara, Cuba now lives in Italy.

El Niche Gozador and his wife Cecilia Pelosi

El Niche is a Cuban trumpeter who resides in the Bay Area.  He and his wife are waiting for the start of the El Niño y La Verdad's concert.

EL NIÑO Y LA VERDAD

Yussef Breffe introducing the band

One of the most exciting and popular timba bands in Cuba, El Niño y la Verdad, brought a 16 person band to the Rueda Festival and played to an estatic crowd for more than 3 hours straight. This was the band's first appearance in the United States.

The band members included:

Emilio Frías Peña - director and lead vocalist

Wilfredo Alexei Naranjo Fernández - musical director and piano

Dayron Ortega Guzmán - guitar and vocalist

Andy Fornet Betancourt - congas and timbales

Andres Martinez Izquierdo - vocalist

Roberto Morales Hernández - vocalist

Bryan Castellon Morilla - trombone

Daniel Enrique Toriza Piñeda - trombone

Felix Miguel Martinez Polo - trumpet

Yosbel Esteban Garcia Valdes - trumpet

Dayron Rodriguez Velazco - bongo

Denis Izquierdo Bueno - güiro

Kennys Luis Ceperp Coronado - timbales

Reinaldo Alexander Aguilera - bass

Kevin Alejandro Arrechea Montelier - teclado

Left to right Roberto Morales Hernandez, Andres Martinez Izquierdo, Dayron Ortega Guzman and Emilio Frias

Andy Fornet Betancourt

Reinaldo Alexander Aguilera bass and Denis Izquierdo Bueno güiro

Deyron Ortega Guzman

Andres Martinez Izquierdo

Kevin Alejandro Arrechea Montelier

Daniel Enrique Toriza Piñeda

Bryan Castellon Morales

Wilfredo "Pachy" Naranjo Fernandez piano and Reinaldo Alexander Aguilera bass

Roberto Morales Hernandez

El Niño

The dynamic, energenic, amazing band leader and performer Emilio Frias (El Niño)!!!

El Niño live streaming concert to Cuba and the world

Yao Fei Huo dance instructor from China

Yao Fei Huo and El Niño

The great Ernesto Mazar Kindelán sitting in on bass

Abaqua dancers

Serena Wong and Nick Van Eyck the presenters and directors of the festival with El Niño

Nick and Serena who did an amazing job as they always do, putting together the Festival with

El Niño.