Holiday House Party WITH Dan Zanes and Friends Review

(Crossposted from www.mominthecity.com)

The New Victory Theater is presenting Grammy® Award winner, former Del Fuego band member and beloved Brooklynite Dan Zanes for an all new celebration of the season during Holiday House Party WITH Dan Zanes and Friends at The New Victory from December 19, 2008 through January 4, 2009. Below is Mom in the City reviewer Alexandra’s thoughts…

On Friday my daughter and I had the privilege to go see the HOLIDAY HOUSE PARTY WITH DAN ZANES AND FRIENDS a New York performance. The setting of the stage was an inviting living room with different Christmas decorations from a Christmas trees to a Hanukah chamber stick. This reminded us all that these are times to remember traditions and celebrate with family and friends.

As the different special guests arrived to the stage they just kept adding their own cultural touch to this wonderful musical journey, which was a celebration of diversity. There were musical artists joining Dan with Palestinian Arabic-jazz, tap dancing, Mexican Mariachis and more. One by one, they all delighted the audience with fascinating music that was filled with flavor and rhythm from their countries and culture.

The audience varied in age (predominately children). But the music and dancing kept everyone young and old dancing and singing. My daughter Liana is only three and she danced to every single song. To the point that at the end of the performance the band and special guest marched down the aisle of the theater. Liana just stood behind the last guest and marched with them down to the lobby.

That was one of the things that I feel the children mainly enjoyed - the warm and friendly atmosphere that was initiated by Dan and his crew with their first song and preserved during the whole presentation with different invitations to join in on the fun and celebration.

As a viewer, you are able to sense an excellent spirit of friendship and unity from the members of Dan’s band with the different performers that were brought on stage. I feel that children recognize this and feel motivated and invited to join the fun.

This is a fun and enchanting musical experience that I would recommend to everyone. Especially if you have children, this is a perfect age to introduce and expose them to the diversity that music can offer.

Dan Zanes & Liana