On Your Feet ! Concert Report

On Your Feet! started previews on Broadway on October 5, 2015 and opened officially on November 5th. It tells the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan in the “jukebox musical” style, weaving their songs into the storyline. The musical follows Gloria from the shy girl living in Miami to the superstar we know her as today, and her relationship with her husband and business partner Emilio.

The DA juniors and seniors had the wonderful opportunity to see the show on March 8. After lunch at Ruby Tuesdays, we went to the matinee show. The show was closed captioned, audio described, and had American Sign Language translators performing in front of the stage. It also was attended by three hundred high school students from around New York, not just DA. The show featured some of the best dancing I’ve seen on Broadway and a combination of fun, concert-style songs and ballads that helped move the plot along.

On Your Feet! is a story about dedication and determination. The Estefans faced countless business and personal obstacles in trying to share their music. Their record

Gloria and Emilio are Cuban immigrants, and the humanity with with the show approaches this topic is incredible. When in the Madrid airport on their world tour, Emilio relives his experience leaving his mother and grandfather behind in order to come to America in a heartbreaking way. When their record label tells them to change their last name if they want to reach American audiences, Emilio is justifiably offended. He explains its not his name to change but his father’s and his grandfather’s and he is as much an American as anyone. He says, “And you should look very closely at my face, because…this is what an American looks like,” at which point the whole audience cheered. Because immigrants are so demonized today, having a show that celebrates and normalizes their place in Ameica is so incredibly