Photos: Ballet Hispánico\Erin Baiano\Mexican Dance Festival
Ballet Hispánico, thenation’s largest Latinx cultural organization and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, announces a 2023-24 Season tour stop at Garde Arts Center on Friday, October 6, 2023 at 8pm.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://gardearts.org/events/ballet-hispanico/.
Ballet Hispánico at Garde Arts Center Program:
New Sleep (1987)
William Forsythe’s New Sleep (Duet) (1987) — a neoclassical master work scored by composer Thom Willems – demonstrates Forsythe’s ability to deconstruct classical vocabulary and maintain a strict precision without confining the physical expression within the movement. His work was long admired by Ballet Hispánico founder Tina Ramirez who, for many years, sought an opportunity for the Company to present one of his pieces. In honor of Tina, two members of the Company will perform an excerpt from New Sleep (Duet) at each performance. This production of New Sleep (Duet) was made possible by the generous contributions of Gaily and John Beinecke, and Dhuanne and Douglas Tansill.
Sor Juana (2023)
In this new work, Mexican American choreographer Michelle Manzanales explores the life and legacy of the iconic 17th-century Mexican feminist, poet, scholar, and nun, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Centuries after her death, Sor Juana’s story and integral voice in the feminist movement continue to inspire the world. This piece provides a glimpse into her life and connects us to the ongoing advocacy for women’s rights, and the rights of all who fight to live freely and safely as their authentic selves.
Club Havana (2000)
Latin dancing at its best. The intoxicating rhythms of the conga, rumba, mambo, and cha cha are brought to life by choreographer Pedro Ruiz, himself a native of Cuba, as he imagined his very own “Club Havana.”
Línea Recta (2016)
From one of today’s most sought-after choreographers comes a powerful and resonant work that explores an intriguing aspect of flamenco dance: the conspicuous absence of physical partnering. While maintaining the integrity and hallmark passion of the genre, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa imagines an original and explosive movement language premised upon the theme of partnership and performed to flamenco guitar by Eric Vaarzon Morel.
About the Garde Arts Center
Founded in 1985, The Garde, Southeastern Connecticut’s non-profit home for the performing arts and cinema, presents a full spectrum of touring musicals, opera, orchestras, music, dance, special events, and state-of-the-art 4K surround sound digital cinema at its restored historic (1926) 1425-seat movie palace and the 120-seat Oasis Room. The Garde hosts performances by regional arts organizations and provides educational programs for more than 12,000 young people. The Garde owns a city block of adjacent buildings which include the Mercer and Meridian Buildings, and a cottage that houses Title IX Bookstore.
Under the leadership of Steve Sigel, executive director since 1988, the Garde has become a major catalyst for the cultural and economic revitalization of New London.
In 2022, the Garde received the Outstanding Historic Theatre in America award by the League of Historic American Theatres.
Learn more at https://gardearts.org/.
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.
