Review: ‘On Your Feet!’ is a fun dance on the conga line
The high-energy dance numbers and passionate portrayals by its cast capture the moving story of music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
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The high-energy dance numbers and passionate portrayals by its cast capture the moving story of music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
Jason Canela and Kayla Rivera play the titular roles of Emilio and Gloria Estefan - whose rise to fame is a story for the ages, including a tragedy that could have ended it all for them.
Among the musical's greatest strength is its high-energy production numbers that are amplified by the fiery choreography of Nunoy Van De Burgh.
In the ’80s and ‘90s, Gloria Estefan was the “Queen of Latin Pop.” All over the world, teenage girls and boys accepted the singer’s invitation to “Come on shake your body baby, do the Conga!” and to “get on your feet” to that Latin beat. The singer, performing with her husband Emilio and the Miami Sound Machine, were veritable superstars playing sold out world tours. They threw open the doors for Latin-infused pop to break into the mainstream, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The music legends gave the world an intimate look into their bumpy road to stardom with the musical On Your Feet: The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan. Throw in an upbeat dance soundtrack, it is, yes, the kind of entertainment we need during these dreary times. 9Works Theatricals, in partnership with Rockwell, brought the show to Manila audiences for its Southeast Asian premiere, now playing at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell.
A hit on the dance floor
As 9Works big musical for 2026, there was a lot of hype leading up to opening night. Especially when news broke that Cuban-American actor Jason Canela was flying in to play Emilio Estefan alongside the talented Kayla Rivera and Molly Langley, who were alternating as Gloria. The actor had previously played the role in a past production of On Your Feet in Miami, Florida.
Right off the bat, the company clearly made a better choice versus last year’s import. Tall and handsome (if we must state the obvious), Canela has a charismatic presence on stage, stepping into the music icon’s shoes with ease. His Emilio is grounded and relatable, giving credence to his portrayal.
When we saw the show on preview night, Kayla Rivera played Gloria from what felt like a very personal lens. There is a spirited lightness and believability to her performance, making her take on the singer someone you wanted to root for.
Both Rivera and Canela effectively captured the Latin elan of the real life Estefans. Once that beat dropped, and the singing and dancing, you'd be hard-pressed to not buy into the Latin pop music craze the couple introduced to the world.
Apart from its two leads, a show like On Your Feet soars on the wings of its supporting cast and ensemble. Neo Rivera as music executive Phil served us ‘90s music industry politics a la a comedic break, complete with a heavy New York accent. Pinky Marquez, in my opinion, stole the show as Gloria’s doting Abuela Consuelo, while Ayen Laurel delivered a strong performance in her theater comeback as the singer’s mother Gloria Fajardo.
The big production numbers are adrenaline-punched, thanks to Nunoy Van Den Burgh’s creative and sexy choreography. But there is one not-so-little thing we ask – please bring on more of that burning passion and Latin fire!
A few missed steps?
Alas, On Your Feet’s had some missteps, which dulled some of that disco ball luster. Perhaps a quick two-step here and there will help get the show fully back on track before the second weekend kicks in.
For one, there are those accents. You nail it or you skip it – because if we’re being honest, the track record on sustaining one across a two hour show just isn’t tracking. For some it sounded more like Spanish with a side of Bisaya. Save for Canela’s Latino accent, obviously, which makes the others’ inconsistencies even more pronounced, pun intended.
And then there were the wigs. There is a place and time for them. Fortunately for Rivera, Gloria Estefan’s electric curls looked great, and she wore it well. The same can’t be said of the others – many of whom needed a good run-in with a stylist and a comb. But did we really need all those wigs in the first place, because those bad ones just could not be unseen.
Parts of the show also felt rather clunky, likely a result of certain directorial choices. For the most part, the vision for the show was clear, while in some, the scenes came off as though they were still testing the waters. If we had to break it down, the expository Cuban barrio scenes, where we first meet Gloria in the early part of Act 1 felt like throwback to 2024’s Once On This Island, albeit a messier one. The critical scenes after Gloria’s tragic bus accident would have greatly benefited from a bit more creative thought. Even the ending left us a bit confused, with no defining moment between where the show ended and the segue into curtain call. Cue us on the applause, please.
Despite its flaws, 9Works Theatrical’s On Your Feet: The Life of Emilio and Gloria Estefan is what it feels like when you take a musical to a really fun dance party. If you’re looking for a singular reason to go and see the show, it is this – you are whisked away on a Conga line of nostalgia. The songs draws you back to the days of big hair, when Latin Pop played on repeat at many a party and variety show soundtrack of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Where, as the song says, “the rhythm is gonna get you.” With Emilio Estefan, who is a good friend of Canela’s, calling in the day of the preview, it can be said this staging got his stamp of approval. Reason enough, I’d say.
Should you feel your feet start to surreptitiously tap to the music, the best thing to do is just roll with it. The person next to you is doing exactly the same. On Your Feet, which is co-presented by Rockwell, runs weekends until 26 July at the Proscenium Theater, Rockwell. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available at Ticketworld, or at the Powerplant Mall Cinema.
