(TEANECK, NJ) -- The Puffin Cultural Forum will host the sixth annual Teaneck Latino Community Event on Saturday, July 18 from 2:00-5:00 pm. Sponsored by R.E.A.L. (Resource, Education, and Awareness by Latinos). It will be an exciting afternoon of music, poetry, family activities, food and more in celebration of the diverse Latino community in and around Teaneck, New Jersey.
R.E.A.L.’s mission is to promote a positive awareness of the Latino community in Teaneck and to be a resource for Latinos and others through education, advocacy and participation in cultural and social community events. "The purpose of the event is to bring Latino culture and heritage to the Teaneck and Bergen County community via a fun-filled and joyful event," says R.E.A.L. member and event organizer Marilyn Figueroa. "Though we are lumped together as Latinos, our foods, history, music, dance and cultures are as diverse as the countries we come from." That's why each year, R.E.A.L. highlights the arts, culture, and food of a variety of countries.
The main feature this year is performance of music, dance and drumming by Los Pleneros de la 21 (LP21), a performing arts group based in East Harlem. Los Pleneros de la 21 is "dedicated to fostering awareness, appreciation and understanding of the richness and vitality of Puerto Rican artistic traditions of African descent and Creole." Embracing contemporary and urban sounds within the traditional forms of the percussive bomba and plena of Puerto Rico, LP21 performs shows that bring an infectious joy, inspiration, and energy to their audiences.
This event will also feature performances by Emi Antonio and Camille Safiya. Reflective of the diversity of the Latino community of the region, Antonio, of the Dominican Republic, plays within the pop-rock aesthetic, while Camille Safiya, who recently debuted at the 2015 South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX, incorporates soul, hip hop, reggae, jazz and production from all over the world into her music.
This year's event also promises a diversity of food as well as a family activity of vejigantes doll-making. Vejigantes are Puerto Rican folkloric characters often seen during festivals as masked dancers. Believed by some to be symbols of resistance to colonialism and imperialism, they have various iterations across Latin America. Throughout the event, the mood will be one of joy and celebration of the traditions and unfolding histories of Latino cultures across nations.
$10 suggested donation. Reservations recommended; must be made before 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the performance: tix@puffinfoundation.org. The Puffin Cultural Forum is at 20 Puffin Way (off Teaneck Rd.) in Teaneck. Call 201-836-3499 or visit www.PuffinCulturalForum.org.
LOS PLENEROS DE LA 21 (LP21): is a Grammy-nominated performing, music and teaching ensemble of traditional Puerto Rican music with African roots. The group was founded in 1983. Based out of East Harlem, they connect generations of musicians and performers through the percussion-based musical traditions of bomba and plena. By also embracing contemporary music and incorporating education into their performances, LP21 is able to both continue the traditions of their Afro-Puerto Rican musical roots while expressing the "versatility and complexities of the Latino experience in the United States." Los Pleneros De La 21 has performed around the world, from Canada to Germany, Russia, Australia, Thailand and throughout Latin America. They were the first to perform traditional Puerto Rican music in Carnegie Hall and "even performed at the Kremlin in the USSR prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall." Among the group's many honors is their album "Para Todos Ustedes"' nomination for the Best World Music Grammy in 2005.
EMI ANTONIO: is a New York-based vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist from the Domincan Republic. He has performed alongside such musicians Dan Warner, Lee Levin, Chris Hierro, Jotham Afanador, Eli Menezes, Boris Milan, Tony Dawsey, among others. Antonio recently released his single, "Amiga."
CAMILLE SAFIYA: is a vocalist, musician, and New Jersey native. Initially a visual artist focused on painting from a musical family, Safiya made her transition to a music after a trip in the Middle East and North Africa. Since her 2013 debut release, “ISLAND BLUES | The Sonic Memoirs”, she released her “24K” album in January of 2015.
The Puffin Cultural Forum is a project of the Puffin Foundation, Ltd. which, through the arts, encourages dialog about issues important to the community. The Puffin Foundation, Ltd. underwrites this and all other Puffin Cultural Forum events and programs in order to make it possible for everyone to attend.
