Three and a half stars
Concerts on the Canal; Indiana History Center; Aug. 21

Guitarist John Alvarado coupled his vast knowledge about Latino music with his virtuosic playing for a thoroughly engaging program with Flamenco dancer Ann Marie Parker. Prefacing each song with its historical and regional context, we learned how both Latino popular dances of today and South and Central Americas art dances on stage grew from “the streets,” from the passion of the common people. Alvarado, a member of the IUPUI Music Academy, is also seen at the Artsgarden, the Indianapolis Art Center and as a guest performer with MOTUS Dance Theatre. Parker, who is from Bloomington, exhibits a lovely line as an interpretive artist. Orquesta Bravo! completed the program, with their snappy, hot sound, featuring instrumentalists and vocalists with a bent for having an enormously good time. Founder and lead vocalist Stacie Sandoval kept the beat sizzling. Throughout, dancers from the audience filled the space before the stage. Lithe salsa dancers were especially delightful in their practiced routines.