The Sauce - Living Los Sures

As the residents of Los Sures change, so does the sound track. The old Latin rhythms echoing through the neighborhood, now blend with the sounds of indie rock music. The Sauce (2011) explores the rich history of New York Salsa and the continuation of its tradition of blending musical art forms, taking risks, and bridging cultural gaps.

Director’s Statement

The topic and subject of The Sauce (2011) developed organically of the interests Ashely and I had in popular culture and social spaces. We started by researching places that hosted social gathering and provided entertainment that specifically catered to the predominantly Latin population that made up Los Sures. Through our research, we came across old posters advertising salsa dances played by famous live band at the Grand Paradise Ballroom in Los Sures. When we searched for the venue we found that, like most of Williamsburg, the ballroom had been turned into lofts. However, the loss of that space didn’t meant the loss of the music. Around the same time we discovered the Grand Paradise Ballroom, we also discovered Gianni, a musician and Williamsburg transplant that was trying to start a new salsa dance night in the area. After hearing his salsa covers of indie rock tunes and seeing hipsters cha-cha next to cute abuelitas (grandmothers), The Sauce was born. And we called it The Sauce because it represents the mixing of things, people, music, cultures, etc, in the small area that is Los Sures.

On another note, Ashley and I almost represent the mixing of these two worlds. She is white and loves indie rock music. I am a Quarterican (1/4 Puerto Rican) who loves salsa. The project was an expression of the culture exchange that was taking places between the two of us.

Finally, we made The Sauce because we wanted to have fun, and what’s more fun than salsa dancing?! As a collaborative class we set out paint a wide view of the neighbor with our projects, and Ashely and I were more than happy to draw a portrait of the nightlife, both past and present.”

— Rosa White

Team

Rosa White

Rosa White is a New York-based producer, editor, and creative consultant with a background in documentary arts and television production. This former UnionDocs Fellow began honing her production and storytelling talents working as a writer and producer of on-air branding and promotions at Nickelodeon and AMC Networks. She has now joined the world of innovative creatives telling diverse stories in engaging new ways. As a producer and story architect, she’s interested in work that utilizes a blend of traditional and new media tools to explore culture, identity, and social justice themes.

Ashley Panzera

Ashley Panzera is a documentary filmmaker who has worked on award-winning films, including (A)sexual, Pushing The Elephant, and Black and Cuba. Her latest personal project, Noise Runs, follows a team of citizen journalist in Port-au-Prince, Haiti who spark social change.

She was a 2010-11 UnionDocs Fellow, and is a member of the Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective. Ashley received her BA in Media Studies and minor in Women Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Credits

Directed by Rosa White

Sound mixer: Joe Deihl
Editor: Rosa White
Cinematographer: Ashley Panzera
Colorist: Ashley Panzera

UnionDocs Collaborative Studio Directors: Jesse Shapins, Kara Oehler

UnionDocs Artistic Director: Christopher Allen

2010-2011 Collaborative Fellows: Annie Berman, Emma Brenner-Malin, Stephanie Chang, Michael Kugler, Will Martin, Laura Mayer, Ashley Panzera, Andrew Parsons, Kristin Rogghe, Joshua Gen Solondz, Laurie Sumiye, Daniel Terna, Rosa White, Matthew Yoka