The Haugh Performing Arts Center delivered an afternoon of music, dancing and commemoration with their event on Sunday featuring a show performed by the Anything for Salinas band.
The band was created in tribute to Latin pop legend Selena Quintanilla, who is beloved for being one of the most influential Mexican-American artists in history. She is recognized by many to be the undisputed Queen of Tejano Music. To commemorate her legacy they brought the late singer-songwriter’s music to life in the Haugh by entertaining the audience with her greatest hits.
The concert lasted from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Haugh also supplemented the performance with a pre-show party that took place between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. The party was free for anyone to attend, regardless of whether or not they had a ticket.
Dozens of people attended. Near the entrance they were presented with a table with Mexican food such as chicken fajitas and cheese quesadillas. They ate their lunch at tables set up in front of the Haugh building. The Haugh provided shade and water to attendees to help guests cope with the intense heat.
The pre-show party was kicked off with a live cumbia dance lesson led by Evie Quinones of Evie Dance Studio.
She instructed several participating attendees through basic cumbia moves one-by-one, eventually guiding them step-by-step into a full dance, which they were able to eventually do under her instruction.
“That was hard and slightly embarrassing ’cause I’m a terrible dancer, but the instructors were wonderful and fun,” said John Almendras, who joined in to dance with his wife.
“They got us going so it ended up being really enjoyable.”
Guests also filled out surveys that were used in a raffle where the winners could win various prizes, from concessions to free tickets to the Haugh Present’s future shows.
“I think that the people who came to the community celebration before the show had a really positive experience,” said Gilles Chaisson, the director of the Haugh Performing Arts Center.
“They got up and they danced (despite the heat.) They laughed at my jokes and we gave away prizes,” he said.
By 2 p.m. attendees were seated in the theater to watch the Anything for Salinas band perform.
The concert started off strong with a rendition of Selena’s Disco Medley, originally performed at the Astrodome in 1995.
The main singer, Karol Posadas, strode onto the stage wearing Selena’s iconic purple outfit and
captured the audience through a lively performance. Her powerful voice, complimented by her cumbia dance moves, created an undeniable stage presence that made the concert a fun time for everyone present.
“It exceeded my expectations,” said longtime Selena fan Nohemi Reyes.
She said that Posadas did an amazing job, from her outfit to her voice, and went on to compliment the rest of the band for coming together to make “an amazing sound” that she won’t soon forget.
Posadas and her backup singers consistently interacted with the audience throughout the show, encouraging them to clap and sing along as they performed. At one point they invited people from the crowd to join them on stage to sing “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” one of Selena’s most famous songs.
Reyes said that Posadas’s willingness to interact with the crowd was her favorite aspect of the show because it got them involved and let everyone have fun together.
“Everyone was just in sync with the music,” she said.
During intermission, the Haugh sold concessions in the lobby featuring an assortment of cookies from Plaza Produce.
By the time the concert ended attendees were brimming with fresh enthusiasm.
“Seeing the faces of the people as they left the theater after the show … they all just looked so happy,” Chaisson said.
“It felt great,” he said.
After the show attendees were given the opportunity to take pictures with Posadas through a meet-and-greet that was held in the lobby.
The length of the line that led to her and the Haugh backdrop she stood in front of was enough to fill the room — a clear sign that the people loved her and the band as a whole.
Chaisson said that he personally thought that they were great, and that he considered the Haugh as lucky to have them.
Similarly, Posadas said that she enjoyed performing at their theater.
Selena was only 23 when she was killed, but with her career she revolutionized Latin pop and, through her many achievements, helped bring Hispanic music into the mainstream.
“I think she was a real pioneer,” Chaisson said.
“From what I understand, her audience loved her, like she was really beloved by many people, and that doesn’t happen by accident. That has to do with who a person is and the things that they create,” he said.
Chiasson said that through this event, the Haugh hoped to inspire a sense of community through a celebration of Selena and her music.
To Posadas, it was an opportunity to introduce her role model to a new audience.
“I hope that the new generation gets to see her legacy,” she said.
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