The winners of this special themed show will then travel, all-expenses paid, to London to represent the Apollo Theater at “Live at the Empire & Apollo Amateur Night: Hackney vs. Harlem” in July 2012. Auditions for Amateur Night Goes To London will be held at the Apollo on March 31 and April 1, and winners will be featured as guest artists at Amateur Night on September 19.

Sitting in the front row during a recent Amateur Night at the Apollo rehearsal, Franck Muhel, an acclaimed mambo dancer and an eager contestant for that evening’s show, was asked what excited him about performing at the world famous Apollo Theater. He smiled softly, gazed up at the stage and said, “Playing at the Apollo is an honor.” Indeed, so it would be for those with the privilege to see Franck’s performance.  Hours later, he bounded onto the Amateur Night stage with such infectious energy that it reached the last row of the upper mezzanine! Wearing satin black pants with golden appliques he executed dazzlingly complicated choreography. One audience member exclaimed, “Look at his feet!  Just look at his feet!” Nevermind looking! One had to stare...hard...to catch the intricacy of his steps as he tapped, turned and twirled to the colorful rhythm of mambo music.  With every electrifying movement, Frank honored us with his talent and with even greater significance, that Wednesday night experience of mambo and salsa paid homage to a rarely recognized legacy: the tradition of Latin music at the Apollo Theater. 

During the 1930s and 1940s,“The Apollo was a nexus or intercultural exchange between African American and Latin musics...Performances at the Apollo frequently paired those two traditions in innovative ways, popularized Latin music styles among African American audiences, and fostered new experimentation and stylistic mixing.”

These performances included variety shows featuring cuban bandleader Frank “Machito” Grillo and The Afro-Cubans and collaborations between jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and percussionist Chano Pozo.  Later in the 1950s and 1960s, the Apollo was one of New York’s preeminent Latin music venues, featuring performances by El Rey Tito Puente and the Mambo King Eddie Torres.  Tito Puente would return to the Apollo stage on numerous occasions throughout the 1980s and 90s, with the tradition being continued by his son Tito Puente, Jr. 

Perhaps the significance of Franck’s performance is best displayed when comparing this video of Senor Puente live on the Apollo stage in 1988 http://youtu.be/peMkUyve85o (scroll ahead to 4:29 minutes for the action!) with this video of Franck’s performance at Amateur Night http://remix.amateurnight.org/video18. 

Indeed, Frank Muhel’s performance was more than a personal achievement because his complicated footwork honored the tradition of Latin music at the Apollo. Franck later shared that he has professionally performed and traveled with both Tito Puente and Eddie Torres, making his performance all the more meaningful.  He explained that latin music and dance is important because “It is about sharing life from the stage … about sharing a smile with the audience and taking them to another place.”  Indeed, from the heralded performances of the legendary Tito Puente to the cheers of an Amateur Night audience for Franck Muhel, Latin music at the Apollo is alive and well. 

Meet Kersten Stevens, Amateur Night's new digital correspondent. Kersten's role is to bring you  behind the scenes footage and keep you updated via Twitter and Facebook. Kersten Stevens, a three-time Amateur Night at the Apollo and “Showtime at the Apollo” winner, is a talented jazz violinist who has opened for the likes of Ray Charles, Denzel Washington and President Barack Obama.  Now, she's using her experience as a professional performer and a former Amateur Night contestant to chronicle the contestant experience and bring you exclusives. Get to know Kersten with our interview below:

AN: So what exactly do you do for Amateur Night?

Kersten: My job is to embody everything that is exclusive content to Amateur Night at the Apollo! It’s really cool, actually! I take the audience backstage, providing a 360-degree perspective on the Amateur night experience.  I’ll do interviews with contestants, the producers and the characters of the show, like the host Capone and CP Lacey “The Executioner.” Then we’ll put that content on amateurnight.org so that Apollo fans around the world can enjoy, comment and share.  It is truly an awesome opportunity for all of us - fans, contestants and audience members alike. 

AN: What makes this role so awesome?

Kersten: Well, I feel really fortunate to be part of Amateur Night. This role is special because the Apollo is special to me. As a sixteen year oldI first took to the stage to compete and win Amateur Night. A few years later I did  Showtime, which was a lot of fun. Eventually I opened for then Senator Barack Obama at the theater back in 2007. I never imagined my experiences would land me with such a unique opportunity.!It is such an honor  to contribute to the legacy of Amateur Night.  I’ve sweated, grown and succeeded on that electrifying Apollo stage -- so this role is an amazing privilege in a continuing tradition of amazing experiences. 

AN: You get to do a lot of cool interviews. Tell us a little bit about who you’ve chatted with already.

Kersten: Definitely the most informative interview: Billy Mitchell, the Apollo’s in-house historian….if the walls could talk!  Funniest interview so far was with Capone, the show’s host, who never turns off his wit (watch my interview with Capone here).  

AN: Kersten, tell us the truth. Do you cheer and boo with the audience? Do you get in on the act?

Kersten: YOU KNOW I DO!!!  This show is just as much about the contestant as it is about the audience!  I have to admit, though, that everyone brings their A-game to the Apollo stage, so it’s not always a clear cheer or a boo.  

AN: What do you most enjoy about Amateur Night at the Apollo? 

 

Kersten: The Apollo is like no other place in the world and the best part about the theater is its energy! There’s an electricity in the walls and I get inspired just by walking through the theater. As a correspondent, I really want to portray that feeling, the sense that if you aren’t here at the theater, you’ll feel like you are! I want everyone out there to JOIN THE PARTY. 

AN: Finally, what are you looking forward to the most in the 78th season?

Kersten: First, I’m most excited to discover new talent!  I can’t wait to hear the music and the songs and see the acts.  I’m also really excited to see the Apollo audience interact in the new mobile app and to see how contestants fare in the new Remix Round. We’re certainly going to see these enhanced elements evolve the show, and I’m really looking forward to it being spectacular! 

Experience Amateur Night at the Apollo like never before with the show’s new interactive enhancements. Vote defeated contestants back into the show with our weekly online contest the Remix Round; you decide who gets a second chance! Make your cheers and boos heard around the world via the new Amateur Night mobile app for iPhone and Android. Win points and rewards for app usage and get access to exclusive content after you leave the theater. Or add your voice during the live show with Facebook and Twitter hashtags. Join the party from the comfort of your home with Backstage Pass footage and winning performances at amateurnight.org.