Oye! Teens gather for Latin dance showcase Saturday in connection with Smithsonian show

Carlos Santana

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Usually something has to be very old before the Smithsonian Institution pays much attention to it. But not-so-old Bay Area music icon Carlos Santana – who can still fill an auditorium – is featured in a traveling exhibit organized by that venerable collector of Americana. 

He’s included because of the impact that Latin sounds have on his sound. And Latin music is the focus of this exhibit, called "American Sabor.” (“Sabor” is Spanish for “flavor.”) Teen dance groups from around the Bay Area are gathering in San Francisco's Main Library this weekend in connection with this national traveling exhibit.

“I used to go to picnics in San Jose,” says Santana, “and there’d be, like, three bands. Puerto Rican, Cuban, Afro-Cuban music ... And there’d be mariachi music, and there’d be a blues band. And so I would walk away, and I could hear all of ‘em at the same time. And I said, “That’s the sound that I want to get. I want to incorporate all of this music and make it all one.”

Santana, the man, points out that Santana, the band, is multi-cultural, which makes it “all one,” too. After all, ain’t that America?

San Francisco is one of five cities featured in this interactive exhibit. It’s at the Main Library in San Francisco’s Civic Center, until November 13. And this Saturday, November 5, young dancers will perform in the Teen Latin Dance Showcase, starting at 2pm. Jesse “Chuy” Varela, KCSM 91.1 FM’s music director, will emcee the program.