I had the pleasure of talking to Luis Salgado, about the upcoming musical, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan.
Salgado, is an international director, choreographer and educator from Puerto Rico, who is currently based in New York City. His most recent project, is his own adaptation of the musical FAME to great reviews in Washington D.C. And he was the Assistant Latin Choreographer of In the Heights on Broadway, which won four Tony Awards.
Photo: Doug Hinebaugh
He was the director and choreographer of Viva Broadway’s, When We See Ourselves concert as part of the Curtain Up event in Times Square produced by Playbill and the Broadway League. In 2019 Luis worked as the associate director/choreographer of Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour in Hamburg Germany. Among the productions he has directed/choreographed in the United States and abroad are the fantasy musical Ella Es Colombia in Bogota, Colombia with MISI Musicals, the Holland Production of On Your Feet, RAGTIME, TO BE OR NOT TO BE…a Shakespearean Experience, AIDA, The Musical, FAME, Amigo Duende the Musical, In The Heights, Matilda, Song of Solomon, Speed the Plow, The Tempest and Candela Fuerza y Pasión in Lima Peru.
In 2017 Salgado directed and choreographed the U.S premiere of the Spanish version of In The Heights at GALA Theater in Washington D.C which received nine 2018 Helen Hayes Awards including Best Musical, Best Direction and Best Choreography.
He has appeared on Broadway in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, ROCKY, In The Heights, On Your Feet, as well as Off-Broadway shows and Broadway tryouts The Mambo Kings (Frankie Suarez), Fame on 42nd Street (Joe Vegas, understudy) and Aida, among others.
Film credits include: American Gangster, Dirty Dancing 2, Havana Nights, and on television, the remake of Dirty Dancing, Enchanted and Step Up 2, The Streets (Alejandro), for which he also was assistant choreographer.
Salgado is the founder/director of R.Evolución Latina, an affiliate of the non-profit organization Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Luis’ personal mission as an artist and a leader is to empower society through the arts to make a change for the better.
All in all, he’s been busy. — A. Ortíz
