New York, NY - Ballet Hispánico continues its video series B Unidos with Facebook Watch Parties through May, available at www.facebook.com/ballethispanico or https://www.ballethispanico.org/performances/2019-2020-Season/BUnidos/WatchParty. Enjoy a Company performance from the comfort of your own home, followed by live Q&A sessions with artistic director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico Eduardo Vilaro, choreographers and company dancers.

 

April 29 at 7pm: Tiburones

May 6 at 7pm: Tito on Timbales

May 13 at 7pm: Asuka

May 20 at 7pm: El Beso

May 27 at 7pm: Bury Me Standing

 

"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. 

 

Asuka (2011)

Choreography by Eduardo Vilaro
(In collaboration with the Company Artists)
Music Sound Scape Remix by Jesse Felluss
Music by Bola de Nieve: Drume Negrita
Celia Cruz: Yemaya, Tu Voz, Te Busco, Pa' la Paloma, Agua Pa' Mí, Guantanamera
Costume Design by Eduardo Vilaro and Diana Ruettiger
Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Asuka is a celebration of the music of Celia Cruz through the lens of the Latino experience. Cruz, renowned as the "Queen of Salsa," captured the heart of Latinos the world over and became a symbol of perseverance for many. Through rich imagery and humor, Eduardo Vilaro explores the struggles of departure from one's homeland and the exuberance of success experienced by a community.
World Premiere: December 17, 2011 at the Apollo Theater

Asuka was commissioned in part by Goya Foods in celebration of their 75th Anniversary, by Gaily and John Beinecke, and by the University of Notre Dame's DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

 

Bury Me Standing (1998)

Choreography by Ramón Oller

Traditional gypsy melodies and flamenco music by Lole Y Manuel

Costume Design by Aviad Arik Herman

Lighting Design by Joshua Preston

The unique culture of the Gypsy or "Roma" people, a marginalized community that has journeyed across continents for thousands of years, inspire Spanish choreographer Ramón Oller to create Bury Me Standing. The compelling rhythms and melodies which accompany the ballet reflect the emotional essence of the Roma: their strong communal bonds, sensuality, feelings of oppression and longing, and their strength and exuberance.

New York Premiere: April 5, 2016 at The Joyce Theater

 

El Beso (2014)

Choreography by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano
Music by Amadeo Vives, Tomás Bretón,
Reveriano Soutullo and Juan Vert, and Ruperto Chapi
Women's Costume Designs by Angel Sanchez
Men's Costumes Styled by Angel Sanchez
Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Set Design by Luis Crespo
Spaniard Gustavo Ramírez Sansano's first work for Ballet Hispanico is a spirited look at the nuances of a kiss set to Spanish Zarzuela music and featuring original costumes by Venezuelan fashion designer Angel Sanchez.
World Premiere: April 15, 2014 at the Joyce Theater

 

Tiburones (2019)

Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Pérez Prado, Dizzy Gillespie, and The Funky Lowlives
Compositions by James Bigbee Garver
Costume Design by Mark Zappone
Lighting Design by Joshua Paul Weckesser
In Tiburones, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa addresses the discrimination and stereotypes placed upon Latinx culture and the power the media has in portraying these themes by diminishing the voices of Latinx artists. Ochoa will deconstruct gender roles and identity to revitalize an authentic perspective of Puerto Rican icons appropriated within the entertainment industry.
World Premiere: November 22, 2019 at the Apollo Theater
This production was made possible by support from contributors to the Perry Granoff New Works Project.

 

Tito on Timbales (1984)

Choreography by William Whitener
Music by Tito Puente
Costume Design by Patricia Zipprodt
Costume Remount Interpreted by Leanne Mahoney
Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
Tito on Timbales is a tribute to the music of master percussionist Tito Puente. In this ballet, choreographer William Whitener captures the joy and intricacies of social dance through cascading patterns, sensual partnering and the community of celebration.
Tito on Timbales and Stick on Bongo performed originally by Tito Puente and the Tito Puente Rhythm Section: Jose Madera, Bobby Rodriguez and Johnny Dandy Rodriguez.
Tito on Timbales was made possible by a grant from the MetLife Foundation and with public support from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

 

# B Unidos

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/.

 

Daily, 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).

 

 

About Ballet Hispánico

Ballet Hispánico, America's leading Latino dance organization, has been bringing people together to celebrate the joy and diversity of Latino cultures for 50 years.

 

Over the past five decades, Ballet Hispánico's mission-driven ethos has been a catalyst of change for communities throughout our nation. By bringing the richness of the Latinx culture to the forefront of performance, education and social advocacy, Ballet Hispánico is a cultural ambassador.

The organization's founder, National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez, sought to give voice to the Hispanic experience and break through stereotypes. Today, Ballet Hispánico is led by Eduardo Vilaro, an acclaimed choreographer and former member of the Company whose artistic vision responds to the need for social equity, cultural identity, and quality arts education for all.

Ballet Hispánico has been, and will continue to be, a beacon for diversity. The art we create explores and celebrates the culture without the trappings of stereotypes. We foster the pursuit of art as a way of providing transformation through the exploration of the human condition. Our art often defies gravity, acting as a frontline against cultural division by releasing preconceived notions of culture and instead offering our audiences new perspectives.