A Film Screening of "La Epoca - The Palladium Era" - an internationally-attended docu-film on the Mambo, the roots behind the umbrella term "Salsa," and its affects on the generations of musicians and dancers that have followed since its conception - followed by a Master-class and Dance Workshop of "The Roots of Salsa - Recognize the Rhythms" - are being showcased on July 19, Sunday, in Philadelphia at La Luna Dance Studio. The film is being presented and the Master-class and Workshop is being led by Director, Executive Producer and Master-Instructor Josué Joseph.

In addition, a LIVE PERFORMANCE by Vocalist and Co-Producer Raquel-Maria of the in-demand single "Vale Mas" from the soundtrack of the film will follow at Alfies Nightclub. Both Josué Joseph and Raquel-Maria will have limited availability afterwards to sign autographs.

The feature-length documentary film goes into depth on the origins and comparisons between Mambo and Salsa rhythms and the controversy over dancing "on 1" versus dancing "on 2." The heavily-endorsed film by high-profile icons in Latin music and dance such as by Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Freddy Pagan of Buena Vista Social Club, and Mambo Pioneer "Cuban Pete" features interviews with mambo legends of the Palladium-era including musicians Agustin Caraballoso, Chiripa, “Alfonso El Panameno," Charlie Rodriguez, dancers the late "Cuban Pete," also Freddy Rios, and many other legends. "La Epoca - The Palladium Era" has been seen by audiences in cities world-wide including Istanbul, Barcelona, Budapest, Copenhagen, Cali, Mexico City, Quebec, City University of New York, Virginia Tech, Drexel University and in US cities including Washington DC, New York, Providence, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Richmond, Hartford, Philadelphia and many others.

Come see the special screening of the MOST-ANTICIPATED film in the history of Latin music (Israel "Cachao" Lopez)!

Come to La Luna Dance Studio, located at 4610 Bensalem Blvd in Bensalem, PA (Philadelphia area) -  to watch "La Epoca - The Palladium Era" and to learn how to dance Old-School Mambo of the Palladium-era days in the "Recognize the Rhythms" Master-class and Workshop. Doors open at 4pm to meet and greet both producers. Seating at 4:30pm for the presentation of the film, which will immediately be followed by an open-forum Producers' Q&A for students, dancers, musicians and other guests to discuss openly reactions to the film and ask the producers questions about the film's production and logistics. An after-party, where Raquel-Maria performs LIVE will be held at Alfies Nightclub afterwards starting around 10pm. Admission is ONLY $30 in-advance/$40 at the door for BOTH the film’s screening and the workshop - all in one package.

The Master-class and Dance Workshop of "The Roots of Salsa - Recognize the Rhythms" teaches dancers how to listen to, interpret and to dance to rhythms of the Palladium-era days, including the Musicality and Timing of the differences between Mambo, Salsa On2 and Salsa On1. Is Salsa On2 the same dance as Mambo? Are they one-in-the-same dance? Is Salsa On2 another word to describe Mambo? Find out at the master-class and workshop, being led by Mr Joseph.

For more tickets and reservations, please navigate to http://rootsofsalsa.eventbrite.com or call 609.330.6804 or 631.335.5086. This event is sponsored in-part by MamboDelphia, Philly/Jersey Mambo Meetup, La Luna Dance Studio and CEMA - A non-profit organization. 

Excerpts from journalists Angelina Puente, Victoria Tarova and Yolanda R Carranza Director, Executive Producer and Master-Instructor Josué Joseph, a son of Mambo Legend "Alfonso-el Panameño" Joseph, was raised in a musical atmosphere of other mambo legends such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Candido Camero and the likes because of his father's career as a bassist for the Palladium-era's top orchestras such as those mentioned above, including Machito, Rafael Cortijo with Ismael Rivera, Johnny Pacheco, and many others. Joseph, who speaks English and Spanish, and is studying Polish, Italian and Russian, is an improvisational classical-influenced pianist, but earns a living producing music and video for an international clientele. In addition, he is often hired as a master-instructor of Traditional Mambo and Cha-Cha-Cha dances with Musicality, and also often hired as a guest speaker for engagements that cater to historians, dancers, musicians and students. For his film, he pulled together some of old-school mambo's most distinguished musicians and dancers, such as the late Israel "Cachao" Lopez -  a pioneer of the mambo rhythm, and his father, "Alfonso-el Panameño." He also pulled together musicians from Johnny Pacheco's and Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez's orchestras such as Charlie Rodriguez, Chiripa, Santiago Ceron, and the late Leo Fleming; and dancers such as the late "Cuban Pete," who pioneered in the mambo, Freddy Rios and Mike Ramos from the Palladium Mambo Legends. All remained close friends of his father throughout the years since the 1950's and 60's.

Raquel-Maria has performed at the Pentagon for high-profile dignitaries and officials, and she also performed, recorded and produced the theme-song for FL Studio 4.5 Software Release, which receives a large international audience.  

Both Raquel-Maria and Josué Joseph are adult-children of Mambo Legend Alfonso "El Panameno" Joseph.

In the recording studio for the next several months, Raquel-Maria is now singing and recording for the release of her new album that will feature original Latin music with old-school Afro-Cuban rhythms such as Mambo, Son-Montuno, Guajira, Guajira-Son, Guaguanco and Danzon rhythms. The music for the album is written and produced by her brother and her father - Josue Joseph and Alfonso Joseph, respectively. She co-writes and co-produces on the album, as well as another older-brother - Othoniel Joseph.

Come to La Luna Dance Studio. The movie is jammed-packed with original Latin music featuring "old-school" rhythms such as Mambo and Guajira-Son and also with music from Cuban legendary tres player Arsenio Rodriguez. The film features rare black-and-white footage of the Palladium-era during the 1950's and controversial information from interviews with some of the most high-profile musicians and dancers of Latin music!!

The film challenges both experienced and new Latin dancers to see original black-and-white footage of Latin dancers from the 1950's and to compare it with the dancing that exists in present day - to understand the core differences between Mambo vs Salsa - dancing "on 1" vs dancing "on 2."

Who REALLY invented the mambo rhythm? How did Latin music and dance become what they are, today, meshed under one umbrella term called "Salsa?" Who were among the musicians who ushered in Latin music?

Very well-known are the names of Celia Cruz and Tito Puente - but how many times have you heard of the musicians who made THEM sound so good?

THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE YOU CANNOT MISS!!!  

Please email Project Manager Lynne Merrill at Lynne.Merrill@LaEpocaFilm.com for more information.

Click here to view segment trailers of the film.