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Contemporary Dance of Cuba in the world stage
25September
Articles

Contemporary Dance of Cuba in the world stage

It is a poetic justice the fact that Contemporary Dance of Cuba was founded the same year 1959, of the Revolution...

Contemporary Dance of Cuba just starred in one of the most extensive and successful tours. In the picture of the world dance it has one of the most coherent paths , supported by the request of international circuits of dancing, and meritorious since its foundation in 1959, of major reviews on the most important media that confirm the art of dance in the world.

The company has become milestone in dance education in our country, and its own contradiction between the modern and the contemporary, generated that demonstration multiplied and took its own identity, according to performers the interests, where it manifests the art of contemporary dance on the island.

With 55 years of being founded, the company returned in March to its usual European schedule, and since its debut in Danstheater Lucent, in the city of Den Haag (The Hague) in  Netherlands on March 24th , the company accomplished its job. Four months ago no one could get tickets to see the Cuban program in many cities of Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland, committed with the tour.

Holland could enjoyed of the exciting "Sombrisas" by Itzik Galili, where eighteen dancers of both sexes, armed with boxing gloves flow with the sensuality of inhabiting our island in counterpoint with the music of Steve Reich; the pleasurable, exciting and visceral "Demo-N / Crazy" by Rafael Bonachela, for the only ones who can dance like demons; and a passionate and stylish closing, which validates what Lidia Cabrera said about "the instinctive Cuban rhythmic nature "the Cuban "Mambo 3XXI" by George Céspedes. The pieces, each one in its style corroborate our difference in the art of dance in the world.

Heerlen (Parkstad Limburg Theaters), Den Boch (Theater  ann Parade), Groningen (Great Theatre) came after, and Holland became friendly with the high temperature generated by the Cuban dancers.

On April 2nd the company arrived in the city of Neuss,Germany, to the Theatre Stadthalle; at end the show the Germans excited,  kicked the floor, shouted, whistled to validate their pleasure. The same thing happened in the crowded halls of the "Theater im Pfalzbau" , in Ludwigshafen, "Schlosstheraterin" in Fulda, the "Forum" in Ludwigsburg, and the "Tollhaus" of Kalsruhe. On April 16th  in the city of Ludwig Van Beethoven, Contemporary Dance of Cuba trembled the foundations of the "Theater Bonn" , in the edge of Rhim, with the presence of Lord Karl Rubwurm, President of the Wagner Society, and relatives of the famous composer, with plans to bring "Tannhäuser"into the stage in Cuba in 2016, under the direction of Andreas Baesler, with dancers of our national company as principal characters, as happened with the stage of Cimarron.

With the presence of Rene Juan Mujica Cantelar, Ambassador of Cuba in Germany, The Opera Hannover "Staatstheater" was on stage on April 19th , for the people of the city ??could appreciate the work of the company the largest of the Antilles; our Ambassador thanked the audience for the great reception in Cuba, through the prominence of its dancers in that famous inclosure.

The company had a new proposal for the program, for Germany and Switzerland, the presenters, knowing their audience wanted two choreographies that reflected the spirit of Cuba, so they chose the latest release of the company "Identity-1" also by George Céspedes. And they were not wrong, the piece had an apotheosic welcome in all the cities of the tour, very different from the Cuban review. "Demo-N /Crazy "and" Mambo 3XXI "received the usual great recognition.

In the "Grand Théâtre" in Luxembourg, the audience sang to the rhythm of the dancers the "Ne Me Quitte Pas"! at the end the torrent of applause, the succession of curtains, and to close the evening a juicy typical soup of the country as Dionysian ritual continuity of each opening night, for those who come to perform on that stage from any Worldwide.

Again and again the Rhim (a word applied of Celtic origin that means flow). From Luxembourg, to France, but signs like ghosts begin to indicate Zurich, and instantly the Swiss Alps, between mountains and lakes Switzerland! The end of the tour. Invitated by the Migros Cooperative, to participate in the Dance Festival  Steps under the motto of Danza il Mondo, only twelve companies from dissimilar parts the world, which performed almost in unison in all the cities of that country, in large theaters, or exotic old scenarios that once, in ancient times had other uses, with the participation of renowned groups as "Akram Khan" "Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui" and " Contemporary Dance of Cuba "which was scheduled in major Swiss scenarios.

The 26th Swiss television devoted one hour and twenty minutes to review the Steps Festival, it was recorded in the city of Winterthur where Contemporary Dance of Cuba was performing, and which took a big part of the telecast. After its first show, the company delighted  the public once again, and it was a huge surprise for the Director of the Theatre and the President of Steps Festival ... all the auditorium was cheering, standing! Which was an unusual event in this temperate country.

On April 30th  the company arrived in the Swiss capital,Bern, "Humanity Heritage "with a surprising and well preserved medieval architecture. In a room full of the Bernese public, with repeated calls from the audience to Cuban dancers.

On day 4 the company performed in the modest but famous Gessnerallee Zürich, old stables converted in a multi-stage space with gardens for relaxation, a bar and a restaurant that contribute to the theater room,with a regular audience of young people, students, artists and intellectuals, and it did not take long to get and answer.

Zurich, the headquarters of the festival presented different shows at the same time, dance interventions with the active participation of the public in their Central Station, workshops of dissimilar styles and schools taught by teachers from the invited companies, parks and any space to unleash the enjoyment of spirit and creativity.

Next stop in Lugano  (May 6th ), in the Palace of Congress, in the canton of Ticino with Italian character, to the shores of Lake Lugano, between Mount Brè and Mount San Salvatore, which immediately reference to Hermann Hesse and "El lobo estepario". Although the energy of Cuban company with the presentations and freedom when walking around the town exalted the quiet city spirit, a town seemingly made ??for calmness, rest and contemplation, which always make us remember of the desperate young man that said "I would leave as the setting sun "...

Since April 2013 the program for the Steps Festival was selected, the Swiss cities of Basel and Biel had decided only "Demo-N / Crazy" and "Mambo 3XXI"; according to them three works could be stressful to the public, the directors of the theaters estimated!

On May 7th phone calls and emails began, its executives had talked about the reviews of  "Identity-1", so they asked the company a triple Bill (three pieces in one night), our happiness did not make them wait, and the audience in Théâtre Palace Biel (May 9th ) and Theater Basel (May 11th ), generously reciprocated the artistry and professionalism of Contemporary Dance of Cuba.

Generations of exhausted dancers have run over and over again and will run again a proscenium, have been and will be applauded. Their emotions, unique and unrepeatable, as the act of dancing Cuba in the world stage.