Ballet Hispánico Presents Instituto Coreográfico: Showcasing Michelle Manzanales

Ballet Hispánico is thrilled to present Instituto Coreográfico: Showcasing choreographer Michelle Manzanales on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 6:30pm at Studio 10 at the Arnold Center, 167 W. 89th Street, NYC. Join us for this FREE event; doors open at 6pm, with a public showing at 6:30pm. Seating is general admission and advance reservations required at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/instituto-coreografico-showcasing-michelle-manzanales-tickets-464568977317?aff=efbneb.

One of Ballet Hispánico's signature programs, Instituto Coreografico has served sixteen BIPOC artists from different Latinx countries in eight years, resulting in the creation of five new works thus far. The program on December 14 is a public sharing of excerpts from a work-in-progress by choreographer Michelle Manzanales as she delves into a process inspired by the powerful Mexican visionary Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (c. 1651-1695), a nun, scholar, and acclaimed writer of the Latin American colonial period and the Hispanic Baroque.

"We are thrilled to be back for Instituto in-person for the first time since the pandemic," said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispánico. "This fall, Michelle has been exploring the life and history of this visionary Latina woman with our Company dancers, and the final new piece will premiere in June during our annual New York City Center season. We look forward to returning to Instituto in-person and to sharing some excerpts of this work-in-process with an audience for the first time next week."

As a choreographer, Michelle Manzanales created the beloved Con Brazos Abiertos for the company in 2017, as well as original works for Oregan Ballet Theater and the Paul Taylor Dance Company. She is committed to creating an environment where all students are inspired to explore movement, feel supported in their individual dance journeys, and draw meaningful connections between dance and their lives. A dedicated dance educator for thirty years and co-founder of the Latinx Dance Educators Alliance, Michelle served as Ballet Hispanico's Rehearsal Director & Artistic Associate for seven seasons before moving into her current position as the Director of Ballet Hispánico's School of Dance.

About Instituto Coreográfico

When Ballet Hispánico was founded over 50 years ago, Latinx artists were invisible to the dance field. Since its founding, Ballet Hispánico has played an instrumental role in changing the narrative - now, generation of Latinx artists have produced art that reinterpret their heritage, bringing fresh perspectives on the Latinx experience.

In 2010, Ballet Hispánico's Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro created the Instituto Coreográfico, a choreographic institute for Latinx artists to create culturally specific work in a nurturing learning laboratory of dance. Now in its eighth year, Instituto Coreográfico invites dance patrons to respond, reflect, and enter into cultural dialogue with the artists about dance and culture in a safe, critical environment at a work-in-progress showing during the choreographer's residency. With this invaluable platform, Ballet Hispánico continues to give a voice to young artists of color and opens access to the dance-making process for all audiences.

Catalytic funding and partnership for Ballet Hispánico's Latinx Dance Institute, including the Instituto Coreográfico, is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, who shares Ballet Hispánico's deep commitment to elevating the voices of Latinx leadership. Major sponsorship for the Instituto Coreográfico is provided by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Mertz Gilmore Foundation. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ballet Hispánico is the largest Latinx/Latine/Hispanic cultural organization in the United States and one of America's Cultural Treasures. Ballet Hispánico's three main programs, the Company, School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnerships bring communities together to celebrate the multifaceted Hispanic diasporas. Ballet Hispánico's New York City headquarters provide the physical home and cultural heart for Latinx dance in the United States. It is a space that initiates new inclusive cultural conversations and explores the intersectionality of Latine cultures. The Ballet Hispánico mission opens a platform for new social dialogue, and nurtures and sees a community in its fullness. Through its exemplary artistry, distinguished training program, and deep-rooted community engagement, Ballet Hispánico champions and amplifies Latine voices in the field. For over fifty years Ballet Hispánico has provided a place of honor for the omitted, overlooked, and othered. As it looks to the future, Ballet Hispánico is pushing the culture forward on issues of dance and Latine creative expression.