El Cantante

Though they don't look much alike, slight actor-singer Marc Anthony was born to play robust salsa sensation Héctor Lavoe. In addition to similar ancestry and vocal skills, Anthony has been building a respectable cinematic resume with roles in Big Night and Martin Scorsese's Bringing out the Dead. The title of El Cantante comes from a number Rubén Blades wrote for The Singer. Lavoe would make it his signature song. In the film, Anthony's wife, producer Jennifer Lopez, plays Puchi, the Nuyorican beauty who won Lavoe's heart. She narrates their story from the perspective of 2002 (the real-life Puchi passed away shortly afterwards). Leon Ichaso (Piñero) contrasts Lavoe's rise from Puerto Rican street singer to New York superstar with his fall from innocent immigrant to heroin-addicted ladies man. By the mid-1980s, Lavoe's popularity hit its peak, and Ichaso spends the rest of the time ticking off the tragedies of his final years: the break with trombonist Willie Colón (John Ortiz), stay in a mental ward, etc. It's a dynamic portrait, and Anthony and Lopez work well together, but despite the urban setting and Latin-flavored soundtrack, El Cantante follows virtually the same trajectory as Ray and Walk the Line (Ichaso has also directed biopics of Jimi Hendrix and Muhammad Ali). His movie looks and sounds authentic, but Lavoe's story might've been better served as nonfiction. There's a sense that there was more to the man than what appears on screen. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Customer Review: El cantante sings!
I loved this movie and I also love JLo and Marc Anthony! I think this movie was underrated. If you are truly interested in Hector Lavoe, you will love it. If you buy it just cause you want to see JLo and Marc, you probably won't like it. They are good in the movie but the story is what made it for me. Of course, it goes without saying, Marc Anthony's voice is supberb!
Customer Review: WONDERFUL....
I rented this film recently and was surprised at how good it was. The story depicts the stormy life and tragic end to the great salsa legend Hector Lavoe. This movie hits you in the heart from the start. It makes you care about the character and his music. I now own a cd of Hector Lavoe and I never knew I could like salsa. Who knew?? His music is amazing and the tragic events of his life makes you want to know the person behind the prose of his songs. My ears know good music when it hears it and this man was a icon. Hector Lavoe.......rest in peace! I'm not much of a fan of Jennifer Lopez but she played a good role. However, another actress (a more popular one) would have made this film more marketable to the non-Hispanic population ( mass audience).

There is nothing more special than your wedding dance. Just the thought of the first dance between a husband and wife is enough to take your breath away. From the most elegant of waltzes to the most basic side-to-side, unrehearsed steps, it is always one of the most touching moments of any wedding.

Sometimes, however, watching the new couple dance at their wedding is a lot more romantic to witness than to experience first-hand. While everyone watching is thinking, "They look so happy," "What a beautiful couple," something much different is going on in the minds of the bride and groom. The bride is second-guessing her shoes, hoping that her dress doesn't get tangled and praying that her new husband won't try to add a new "move" that will go horribly wrong and result in flinging her across the dance floor. The groom is wondering how fancy he's supposed to get with the dance, hoping that he isn't squishing her dress too much and crossing his fingers that he doesn't step on the bride's feet, which he can't even see. And both of them are thinking "Please don't let me trip. Please don't let me trip. Please don't let me trip."

Rather than let everyone else at your wedding enjoy your wedding dance more than you do, why not learn your own personally-choreographed wedding dance? Whether you and your fianc love to dance and just need some guidance and practice or if you have never danced together at all, something memorable and romantic can be choreographed especially for you.

You don't have to worry about what level of experience you have. Some of the most elegant dances are the most simple to learn. We just take things one step at a time. With a little bit of practice, you'll begin to become comfortable with your special dance.

The first thing you need to do is choose your song. Some people have an "our song" but many don't. If you don't have a special song, go through your music collection or ask your friends and relatives what song they chose for their wedding dance. If the song isn't important to you, but you've always imagined a Waltz, a Rumba or a Salsa for your wedding dance, we can listen to a few songs and choose one together.

Once you start learning your specially-choreographed wedding dance you will have plenty of time to practice before your wedding. Remember that these are private lessons, so if you need extra help with something or if some spot in the choreography just isn't flowing right, we can either practice a bit more on that section or change it to something more comfortable for you. As you become comfortable with your wedding dance, you will become more and more excited to show it off on your big day.

With a little bit of time and practice you and your new husband or wife can enjoy your wedding dance even more than you ever dreamed possible.

Want to learn to dance? Wish you could move your body confidently on the dance floor? Or would you just like to have a great excuse to get out and meet people? Well for all of the above come and visit Dance Vogue where professional dancer and teacher Natalie Beck show you how to take the next step.

If you have your wedding around the corner and are worried about that first dance, Natalie has a lot of experience helping couples get confident and looking great dancing together in a short period of time. Have a look at her wedding dancing lessons to get up to speed.

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