By Raquel Martori
Havana (EFE).- The Cuban National Ballet (BNC) returned to the stage on Friday with an anthology of its most emblematic repertoire, doubling down on its commitment to art despite the severe crisis plaguing the country, which is exacerbated by the United States oil embargo.
Fragments of Giselle, The Nutcracker, and Don Quixote, based on the versions by the legendary Cuban dancer and choreographer Alicia Alonso (1920-2019), who for decades served as the director and principal figure of the BNC, are thus returning for a three-day run at the National Theater of Cuba in Havana.
«No matter how difficult the times are, nothing will stop us: we will keep dancing, because a piece of Cuba beats in every performance,» the BNC recently stated in a communiqué, referencing the complicated situation the island is experiencing.
In promoting the show, titled ‘The Magic of Dance,’ the BNC asserted: «We will meet again to show that art is stronger than any storm.»
These performances occur amidst an intense crisis on the island, accentuated in recent months by the US oil embargo, which has led to prolonged blackouts and has almost completely paralyzed the state economy.
The lack of fuel has affected the country’s cultural programming despite official efforts, and some traditional events, such as the Havana International Book Fair, have been suspended.
Classics and a Surprise ‘The Magic of Dance’ selects the most representative moments from well-known ballets in the company’s repertoire, which includes classics such as Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Don Quixote, and Swan Lake.
Additionally, as a tribute, it presents a work titled ‘Gottschalk’s Symphony,’ a piece that choreographically recreates two movements, ‘La Noche’ (The Night) and ‘Fiesta Criolla’ (Creole Festival), both belonging to the Symphony A Night in the Tropics, created by the American composer and pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk.
This work premiered in 1861 at the former Tacón Theater in Havana, where the Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso is currently located.
The artistic bill for ‘The Magic of Dance’ will be headlined by the BNC’s director, dancer Viengsay Valdés, who will take on the role of Giselle.
It also brings together renowned figures from the national scene, such as Anette Delgado, principal dancers Dani Hernández, Ányelo Montero, Yankiel Vázquez, and Ernesto Díaz, as well as principal dancer Gabriela Druyet, soloists Laura Kamila and Alianed Moreno, and other rising artists.
The BNC is Cuba’s most important classical dance company, founded in 1948 under the name of Alicia Alonso, the dancer who was its director, principal figure, and founder, alongside the brothers Alberto and Fernando Alonso.
In 2018, the BNC was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation for being the maximum expression of the Cuban school of ballet, a status extended to the company’s repertoire, its archive of images, and the objects and documents related to the institution. EFE
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