Stacie Sandoval, leader and lead singer of ‘Best of Indy’ salsa band Orquesta Bravo!, has just announced that Indiana’s most notable dance companies have agreed to perform in her first musical production, “Noche de Carnaval,” a Latin perspective on Mardi Gras. These include Sancocho, Elegancia, SalsaIndy, and International Folkloric Dance Academy. The interactive show which features her Mundo Beat All Star Band, with top musicians from the region, is enhanced by the participation of these dancers. “Noche de Carnaval” is a musical tour of Latin American carnivals and it is geared to giving the audience a very fun time. The production will debut on Friday, February 20, 2009, at The Jazz Kitchen. Two shows: 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Admission: $15.00. Doors open at 5 p.m. for dinner. Reservations strongly recommended. To complement the show, The Jazz Kitchen will be offering food and beverage specialties from Latin America. After 11:00 p.m., the after-show salsa party starts in the new back room of The Jazz Kitchen. Admission (after 11:00 p.m.): $8.

Iris Rosa, artistic director of iconic Sancocho, a dance and music company in Indianapolis that combines traditional Latin American and contemporary modern and jazz dance, will have her ensemble perform some of the drum-driven sounds of Latin America and will choreograph and perform our electrifying finale. Jennifer Luna, owner of Elegancia Dance, an Indianapolis company, specializing in the production and promotion of local dance, will be presenting some of the more modern day Latin dances, along with some of the classics. Marques Gunter, owner of SalsaIndy, a company of dance instructors and promoter of the extremely popular and classy Latin Nights at Adobo Grill downtown, will have his dance company, Damas Inspiradas, provide the hot and sizzling Latin entertainment for the intermission. Claudia Williamson-Martinez, founder of International Folkloric Dance Academy, the non-profit arm of Carmel Dance Arts-Indy Latin Dance studio, in Carmel, where all classes of dance are taught to young and young-at-heart alike, will have her ensemble delight us with folkloric dance from South America.