Ballet Hispanico Presents World Premieres and Re-stagings at the Apollo Theater

Ballet Hispánico, the nation's premier Latino dance organization, returns to the Apollo stage on Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23, 2019 at 8:00pm with a program that continues its commitment to staging works by female, Latinx choreographers. Ballet Hispánico is sponsored by GOYA, which has sponsored the company since 1977.

In the World Premiere of Tiburones, Anabelle Lopez Ochoa reimagines the world of the street gang, The Sharks (from the award-winning musical West Side Story) from a Latinx and gender fluid perspective. Ochoa will embrace non-gender specific roles while deconstructing stereotypes and giving new life to an ever appropriated cultural icon.

In this restaging of Nací (2009), choreographer Andrea Miller draws from the duality of her Spanish and Jewish-American background and employs her distinctive movement style to investigate the Sephardic culture of Spain, with its Moorish influence and profound sense of community, despite hardship.

Con Brazos Abiertos (2017) is a fun and frank look at life caught between two cultures. Michelle Manzanales utilizes iconic Mexican symbols that she was reluctant to embrace as a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas, to speak to the immigrant experience. Intertwining folkloric representations with humor and music that ranges from Julio Iglesias to Rock en Español, the work brings life to a Latino dilemma.

"We are thrilled to bring the World Premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Tiburones to the Apollo Theater. Ballet Hispánico is dedicated to providing arts programming that is accessible to community members of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds and we are grateful for this continued partnership with the Apollo, allowing us another opportunity to elevate the voices of Latinx and female artists," said Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro.

"Our collaboration with Ballet Hispánico not only speaks to the importance of presenting such vital works in Harlem, but also speaks to the Apollo's mission of continuing to create a 21st century performing arts canon. We want to not only commission and present a myriad of new multidisciplinary works, but also continue being a home for cultural innovators such as Ballet Hispánico," said Kamilah Forbes, the Apollo's Executive Producer.

"We are proud to support the work and talent of Ballet Hispánico because we value organizations who bring together communities of all cultures and ages through the beauty and passion of their art form," said Rafael Toro, Director of Public Relations of GOYA Foods.

Artistic Director & CEO: Eduardo Vilaro

Rehearsal Director: Johan Rivera

Choreographers: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Andrea Miller, and Michelle Manzanales

Dancers: the Ballet Hispánico Company; Simone Cameresi, Shelby Colona, Laura Lopez, Geena Pacareu, Gabrielle Sprauve, Dandara Veiga, Melissa Verdecia, Lenai Wilkerson, Christopher Bloom, Jared Bogart, Antonio Cangiano, Paulo Gutierrez, Paulo Hernandez, Omar Rivera, and Lyvan Verdecia

Tickets begin at $10 and will be available for purchase starting August 22, 2019. For more information, visit ballethispanico.org.

Ballet Hispánico, America's leading Latino dance organization, has been bringing individuals and communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through dance for nearly 50 years. Whether dancing on stage, in school, or in the street, Ballet Hispánico creates a space where few institutions are breaking ground.

The legendary Apollo Theater-the soul of American culture-plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.

Photo Credit: Paula Lobo

To post a comment, you must register and login.