The Lyric Theatre Presents
Ballet Hispanico
Celebrating 42 years of dance and culture, Ballet Hispanico is recognized as the nation’s pre-eminent Latino dance organization. Led by Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, Ballet Hispanico explores, preserves and celebrates today's Latino cultures through innovative artistic collaborations bringing the heart of Hispanic culture to audiences around the world. Known for producing some of the country’s most innovative and expressive dancers, Ballet Hispanico is a professional company with a well-established reputation of hiring and training the best and brightest rising stars.
REPERTORY LIST
TANGO VITROLA (1987)
Choreography by Alejandro Cervera
Music by Vincente Greco, Roberto Firpo
Sound Design by David Norfleet
Costume Design by Alejandro Cervera
Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Lauren Alzamora, Donald Borror, Martina Calcagno, Jamal Rashann Callender,
Mario Ismael Espinoza, Min-Tzu Li, Major Nesby, Vanessa Valecillos,
Kimberly Van Woesik, Joshua Peter Winzeler
Tango Vitrola conjures a metaphysical space that highlights the struggle between men and women through simple yet poetic patterns.
Music: Various 1920s recordings of popular Milonga music, including "Rosendo" and "La Cumparista" by Orquesta Típica Criolla de Vincente Creco; and "El Llorón," "Pena Mulata" and "El Porteñito" by Roberto Firpo
Intermission
NUBE BLANCO (2009)
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Maria Dolores Pradera
Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Lighting Design by Josh Preston
The Company
Nube Blanco (White Cloud) is inspired by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s childhood memories of the beautiful songs of Maria Dolores Pradera. Lopez Ochoa integrates brilliantly the Spanish zapateado technique or footwork that is found in flamenco dance and gives it a contemporary twist.
Intermission
DANZÓN (2009)
Choreography by Eduardo Vilaro
Music rearranged by Alex Brown
Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Music “You’ve Changed” by Carey/Fischer, arr. by D. Balakrishnan
“Danzón” by Paquito D'Rivera, arr. by M. Summer
“A Night in Tunisia” by Dizzy Gillespie/F. Paparelli, arr. by D. Balakrishnan
Jamal Rashann Callender and Vanessa Valecillos
Lauren Alzamora, Donald Borror, Martina Calcagno, Mario Ismael Espinoza, Melissa Fernandez, Min-Tzu Li, Major Nesby, Hillary Ramos, Kimberly Van Woesik,
Joshua Winzeler
Initially evolved from Haitian contradance, the Danzón has been called the official dance of Cuba. Eduardo Vilaro has taken this traditional and quintessentially Cuban dance form and reinvented it with contemporary movements.
The creation of “Danzón” was made possible through generous support from the Chicago Community Trust, The University of Notre Dame's DeBartolo Performing Arts Center and Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD.
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Founded in 1970 by Artistic Director Tina Ramirez, Ballet Hispanico began its visionary efforts to fuse ballet, modern and Latin dance into a spirited image of the contemporary Hispanic world. Ramirez worked tirelessly to bring internationally recognized choreographers such as Alberto Alonso and George Faison as well as young artists such as Pedro Ruiz and Susan Marshall to the program to educate and guide their dancers. Apart from their international touring schedule and advanced dance program, Ballet Hispanico sponsors an extensive program for public schools in New York and around the country called “Primeros Pasos.” These classes, available to aspiring dancers from ages 1-21, are held at the Ballet Hispanico studios in Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The program has graduated a number of talented artists such as Jennifer Lopez and Leelee Sobieski who have gone on to excel in their craft and beyond.
Recently, in 2009, Eduardo Vilaro has replaced long-time Artistic Director Tina Ramirez as the creative visionary for the program. Formally the founder and artistic director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago, Vilaro brings 10 years of experience and a long-time relationship with the Ballet Hispanico program to his new role as Artistic Director. Vilaro is an accomplished choreographer, working with major dance companies such as The Grant Park Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as receiving the Ruth Page Award for choreography. As a graduate of Ballet Hispanico and an educator under Ramirez herself, Eduardo Vilaro understands the future of the company and the soul of its membership.
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