Las Noches de Ronda finale entertains crowd

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-Las Noches de Ronda or Nights of Gaiety put professional dancers and local dance groups in the spotlight.

Spirit of Fiesta 2023 Jack Harwood opened the final show in the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden.

The 19 year old Santa Barbara City College student intends to turn pro.

He started dancing at age 3 and is the first male Spirit in the history of Old Spanish Days.

The flamenco dancer said he it was too difficult to count the number of performances he did during Old Spanish Days.

The Zermeño Dance Academy followed.

The group has trained more than a dozen Spirits and Junior Spirits over the years.

They all had fierce expressions on their faces making it hard to look away.

Both performances were backed by live musicians rather than recordings.

Harwood has said that takes the dance to the next level.

Many of the people sitting on the lawn watching the show call it their favorite Old Spanish Days event.