Ballet Hispánico's B Unidos Presents Message From Alejandra Duque Cifuentes and More This Week Online

Ballet Hispánico continues B Unidos, its new Instagram video series, which kicks off next week's programming on Monday, April 6, 2020 with an inspirational message from Alejandra Duque Cifuentes, Executive Director, Dance/NYC at www.instagram.com/ballethispanico/.

This week's content continues on www.instagram.com/ballethispanicoedu/*:

• Take Action Tuesday 4/7:

- 3pm ET: Company dancer Paulo Hernandez-Farella shares a performance from 50th Anniversary Repertory from his home.

- The School of Dance offers an 11am activity for Pasitos (children ages 2-5); a 1pm activity for Pre-Ballet(age 5); a livestream ballet class with company dancer Laura Lopez at 5pm (ages 6-12);

• Wepa Wednesday 4/8:

- 3pm ET: Cecilia Cáceres teaches Salsa class on Instagram LIVE

• Therapeutic Thursday 4/9:

- 12pm ET: Ballet Hispánico company member Omar Rivera teaches stretch and conditioning class on Instagram LIVE

- 5pm ET: Gabrielle Sprauve teaches stretch and conditioning class on Instagram LIVE.

• Flashback Friday 4/10:

- 11am ET: A retrospective look back the 1980s from Ballet Hispánico archives of videos and photos.

- 5:30pm ET: Lincoln Center at Home presents Ballet Hispánico

As a part of this new initiative, viewers can watch archival Lincoln Center performances, available for free and on demand at LincolnCenter.org and on Lincoln Center's Facebook Page.

Ballet Hispánico will "whisk us away to contemporary dance's hottest spot" (Washington Post) in this imaginative and theatrical showcase of Latin-inspired contemporary dance at its best. In Club Havana, the intoxicating rhythms of the conga, rumba, mambo, and cha cha are brought to life by choreographer Pedro Ruiz, himself a native of Cuba. Hailed as a "masterpiece" by the Chicago Sun-Times, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's CARMEN.maquia is a Picasso-inspired, contemporary take on Bizet's classic opera about a passionate gypsy. Riveting from start to finish, the physically charged and sensual choreography fuses contemporary dance with nods to the Spanish paso doble and flamenco.

* unless otherwise noted

The series features a series of videos posted created by the three arms of the Ballet Hispánico: the professional company, the School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnership (CAP) and featuring the hashtag #BUnidos at www.instagram.com/ballethispanico/.

Each weekday at 3pm ET, the company releases a new video generated by the dancers, teachers and administrators with the goal of serving as class, exercise, and inspiration: Motivational Mondays (inspirational messages), Take Action Tuesdays (technique tips for young dancers), Wepa Wednesdays (explorations of the many varied styles of Latin Dance), Therapeutic Thursdays (focus on conditioning, health and wellness, stretching), and Flashback Fridays (retrospective looks at past 50 years from Ballet Hispánico's archives).

"As a community of dancers, artists, and human beings, we are all in this together. We will persevere through this challenging time and we hope that these videos provide a coping outlet, for you, for our followers and the community overall," said Eduardo Vilaro, artistic director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico. "Now more than ever, it is important to band together in support of the arts. The personal and professional challenges that we have already endured and will continue to face over the next few weeks or months are significant. What we can take from this time of cancellations, uncertainty and social distancing is a chance to use our creativity to connect with the community on a new level. Social distancing does not mean emotional distancing. Ballet Hispánico was founded upon and has always believed in the importance of reaching and servicing our community through dance and culture. As this pandemic occurs during our 50th Anniversary, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come, get back to our roots by reaching out to community near and far, and look forward to what is ahead."

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