Time to boogie
for Cinco de Miro

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

You’ll want to put on your dancing shoes and get ready to salsa the night away when the Miro Dance Theatre celebrates Cinco de Mayo a few days late with a benefit salsa dance party, Cinco de Miro: Super Salsa Sensacional.
From 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday, May 9, Girard College’s Founders Hall, at 2101 S. College Ave., will be transformed into a grande salsa fiesta with muy caliente salsa music, a salsa dance competition, live auction, Latin food and a cash bar with margaritas.
Proceeds from this inaugural event will benefit the modern dance company’s programs, such as its free Open Studio Series, which enables the public to see new works in progress.
Since its inception in 2004, the Miro (which means “I watch” in Spanish) Dance Theatre has been known for original works that combine dance, video and visual art. The ensemble was founded by dancer/choreographer Amanda Miller and video and visual artist Tobin Rothlein, who are artists-in-residence at Girard College and also oversee an outreach program with students.
While the Cinco de Miro event will be packed with many activities, the highlight of the evening will be a salsa dancing competition with touches of the reality television show Dancing with the Stars.
Professional salsa dancer and Holmesburg resident Nelson Miranda and his brother, Victor Colon, who co-founded the Fuzion Creativa Dance Company, will give each contestant five to eight hours of instruction. Among the participants are Marisa Magnatta, of WMMR’s Preston and Steve Show; Girard College president Dominic Cermele; hip-hopper Michelle Byrd-McPhee; and Miro’s producing artistic director, Tobin Rothlein.
Miranda, 20, will dance with Center City hairstylist Heidi Hirjak. As of last week, the pair had just one practice session but Miranda expected they’d be able to get together for a few rehearsals as the competition approached.
“We’ve been fortunate,” he said. “She has a previous dance background.”
While their routine will definitely be Salsa, Miranda described it as having a throwback theme, starting out with a swing/gospel fusion.
“It should be a very energetic performance,” he said.
Fuzion Creativa instructors are allowing the other participants to give their input for the dance routines, as far as what they want to try.
“We’re making it very open. It’s a competition, but at the end of the day, it’s all about having fun,” said Miranda, who has been dancing salsa since he was 6.
Miranda started dancing in North Philly at AMLA (Latin American Musicians Association). For him, it was a dance his parents wanted him to learn, a part of the Latino heritage.
He learned well. He has competed in salsa congresses throughout the tri-state area and performed at Cuba Libre, a restaurant and nightspot at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.
Fuzion Creativa made its debut performance earlier this year at the 2008 Philly Jam.
“One of our goals is to make sure young kids have an understanding of it,” he said.
When he’s not dancing, Miranda is studying music and jazz performance at the University of the Arts, and he also performs in a salsa band, Zarza Ariente (Burning Bush). ••
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com

Get your tickets . . .
Tickets for Cinco de Miro are $25 available by calling 215-962-4773 or visiting Halloween, 1329 Pine St.; Black & Brew, 1523 E. Passyunk Ave.; American Mortals, 729 Walnut St.; or online at http://mirodancetheatre.tix.com. You can learn more about Miro at www.mirodancetheatre.org
Miro Dance Theatre is recognized as a 501(c3) not-for-profit organization. Contributions and event proceeds are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
For more information on Fuzion Creativa or dance lessons, e-mail mirandan@uarts.edu or Dancevictordance@gmail.com