By Chaos, Freelance Writer
Two of the models from the Cuban dance troupe Seduce Me model bikinis designed by Kay Lyn-Cardenas. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
SANDWICHED between the two shows which make up the Cuban cabaret event at Carlos' Cafe on Belmont Road during last week's 'Sensuous Saturday' was what may well have been the fastest fashion show in history.
If anyone there had blinked they may just have missed it but would probably regret having done so. With the four sexy young ladies of Cuban troupe Seduce Me doing the honours, a number of pieces of Brazilian swimwear designed by Kay Lyn-Cardenas were modelled at an almost blistering pace. As lights of varying intensity glistened off glowing skin, the pieces were, to put it mildly, interesting. Sheer wraps were a common element over two-piece swimsuits of varying cut and colour on firm, young Latin bodies. One particularly interesting design was a camouflage thong bikini - 'with shimmer', the last courtesy of one lady who was at the venue. Moving to pulsating disco beats, the models followed each other in rapid succession on the stage, strutting, pouting and posing, the bikinis almost overshadowed by the bodies that wore them.
The session did not last more than 10 minutes, but they were 10 minutes well spent watching, coming to an end at almost midnight and allowing those present to make their way to the midnight complimentary buffet, which served frijloes (read plantain), testonis and white rice as crooner Mark Dragon sang People Make The World Go Round, doing a decent job at it.
Earlier, a group playing pool in one corner of the cafe abandoned the table to watch Seduce Me go through their first routine of the night for the pleasure of the patrons present, dancing to Latin beats in a largely upbeat set. Their second, which began after the fashion show, started off with the dancers in full body suits adorned with silver skeletons, moving like zombies in a darker moment to molasses-like music, dark, syrupy yet strangely intoxicating. Later on the music took on an Arabian feel, bringing images of belly dancers to mind, with the sound of Africans drums somewhere in the distant background helping to transport minds away. Both sets also included segments where dancers took patrons to the stage and 'danced' with them. One gentleman during the first show almost outshone his Seduce Me partner, taking an astonishing number of twirls in succession. The second set saw an impromptu congo line, made of dancers and patrons, worm its way around the tables and chairs under a cool night sky.
Later on one patron told The Gleaner that although she enjoyed the show a lot, she thought the dances somewhat monotonous after a while, especially in the second set. A male patron, on the other hand, was quite pleased with what he saw - to put it mildly...
