La Peña Cultural Center

Welcome to La Peña! Promoting social justice & intercultural understanding through the arts since 1975.

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“Y BASTA YA!” Performance by NAKA Dance Theater & Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA)

Y Basta Ya! is a multidisciplinary and multilingual performance project highlighting stories of Indigenous and Latine immigrant women. NAKA Dance Theater’s José Ome and Debby Kajiyama reflected on the creative process and why they were inspired to create this project in collaboration with the women of Mujeres Unidas y Activas, a grassroots organization in the San Francisco Bay Area that promotes individual healing and community power. Performance Premiere coming in October, 2023!! Stay tuned. Photos by Fred Aube.

“The Home Between Us” Art Exhibition

What a night! We are so proud and happy to have been able to provide a home for such an inspiring group of artists: thank you Ahn Lee, Aylee Ibañez, Carolina Cuevas, Claudia Huenchuleo, Mari Rose Taruc, Angélica López, Kahalla, Lauryn Marshall, Cece Carpio, Mara Hruby, and Coraza —for trusting us and sharing your talents and ideas with our community. We learned so much from you all! Shout-out to all the LP staff and volunteers, to Casa de Chocolates for donating delicious mole and mango chocolates, and to Natural Grocers and José Ruiz for helping us with the food. Hope to have you all at La Peña again soon! Thursday, May 25th, 2023. Photos by Clara Pérez and Fred Aube.

LA RUMBA ME LLAMA: Clases de Rumba Cubana

“LA RUMBA ME LLAMA” y “YORUBA SOY”: Dos clases de Rumba y Percusión Afro-Cubana en ESPAÑOL. Con Einar Leliebre Nuñez – todos los niveles!

>>Note: this class is taught in spanish, but english speakers are welcome to join if comfortable with limited translation.

IMPORTANT: Classes schedule are subject to change per teacher’s discretion. We encourage you to please contact the teacher directly for the most updated classes schedule and information. For questions and to register to this class for the first time, click on the class below and contact the instructor directly at einarleliebremusica@gmail.com.

En la clase “La Rumba me llama” se aprenderán los ritmos fundamentales y nombres de cada instrumento, incluyendo la técnica básica de las congas, cajón, chekere clave y guagua, y una breve historia sobre el género.

En la clase “Yoruba Soy” se aprenderán la técnica para ejecutar el Bata y algunos de sus ritmos genéricos. Llamamos genérico, al ritmo que se le toca a más de un Orisha. Einar lleva tiempo dedicado a las canciones y también presentará una breve historia sobre el género.

Los objetivos a desarrollar en estas clases de percusión afrocubana son: impulsar en todo momento la creatividad de nuestros estudiantes enfocándose así a desarrollar su propio estilo, promoviendo en este proceso la canalización de emociones a través del instrumento.

Biografía de Einar Leliebre:
Einar Leliebre Nuñez es Director Musical, Cantante, Percusionista y Maestro de Santiago de Cuba. Fue Director Musical y músico principal de la prestigiosa compañía Teatro de la Danza del Caribe en Santiago de Cuba desde 2003. También ha actuado y grabado con Obbatuke, Grupo Barracón (de Luca Brandoli), Oyu Oro (dirigida por Danys “La Mora” Pérez) en Nueva York, CubaCaribe y Alayo Dance Company en San Francisco, Manana Cuba en Cuba, Inglaterra, España y Escocia, y muchos más. Ha participado en numerosos festivales nacionales como el Festival de Olorun, las Romerías de Mayo, la Jornada de la Cultura Iberoamericana, así como giras nacionales e internacionales. Ha dado clases a jóvenes y adultos en percusión y canto, y montado montajes con escuelas y compañías de teatro y danza teatro. Contacto: einarleliebremusica@gmail.com | (510) 325-2540.

REVISA LAS CLASES EN NUESTRO CALENDARIO:

BAILA! Community. Dance. Party.

Join us on May 19th for a spectacular BAILA with Louie Romero y Mazacote playing live!! Come with your friends and get ready to have fun:

The night will include:

  • 7:30pm: Doors open with Ritmos Tropicales Dance Party in our Lounge!
  • 8:00pm: Gender-inclusive Bachata & Salsa Dance Classes in our Theater (no partner or experience necessary!)
  • 9:30pm: Dominican Bachata Party with DJ Ron in our Lounge & Dance Party with DJ José Ruiz in our Theater!
  • 10:00pm: LIVE Salsa Concert with Louie Romero y Mazacote on our mainstage!
  • Party goes until 1:00am in our Lounge (Dominican Bachata), Theater (Salsa y más) and Community Room (fundraising bar and hang out)!

The vibe of this party will be like a spontaneous dance party that broke out in your kitchen, only if your kitchen had big wood floors, a great live band and sound system, and 200 of your friends, chosen family, and a few intriguing strangers…

Like all events at La Peña, this gathering is inclusive of all cultures, ages, orientations and identities so you can bring your whole self to the dance floor and be properly celebrated.

PLEASE NOTE: We will require ID & Proof of Full Vaccination at the door. Booster shots and the use of masks are encouraged but NOT mandatory. See our most updated Covid-19 Policy here.

Classes

La Peña is a cultural homeplace where every week children, teens and adults study the musical and performance traditions that have nourished struggles of resistance, sustained cultures, and contributed to the well-being of communities. These roots performance traditions have managed to flourish despite long and complex histories linked to colonialism in the Americas that led to censorship and neglect. They have often been excluded from mainstream recognition by official histories, public radio, and school music curricula. Roots Arts classes encourage us to think beyond consumer approaches to performance in order to become producers and creators of our own culture. These inherited traditions have often thrived for centuries underground. They can also be revolutionary, thought-provoking, healing, and inspiring.

Check out the classes that we offer at La Peña and become part of this growing community of students, creatives and cultural bearers! Click on the titles below for more details, schedules, and instructors.