Ballet Nacional de Cuba/National Ballet of Cuba

[BW]

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of hearing a really good piece about Cuban ballet on NPR's program - The World:

Our Cuba Stories continue today sends anchor Lisa Mullins to the ballet. She tells us that Cuban ballet aficionados are just as fanatical as sports fans. They're knowledgeable, passionate, and vocal.

You can listen to it online by going to this website for the show, right now it's still up but will be moved to their links for January 17th later in the day: The World Latest Editions Scroll down the page and you'll see it as I've quoted it above.

 

OK, so what was so great about this? Take a listen and I think you'll see. Yes, it goes into Alicia Alonso's life, the Cuban politics, etc., but in the piece the reporter attends a performance in Cuba where she interviews audience members as well as ballet dancers and yet, this story is not typical - at least for us in the USA and focuses on the deep love of ballet in the Cuban culture.

 

The story reminded me of one of the screen names of a member here on BT for Dancers - "joyofaleap". Listen and I think you'll see why. For me, an oft times jaded poster , it left me with a smile on my face.

[Clara 76]

Thank you so much for posting that, BW...it brought tears to my eyes and hope to my heart that perhaps ballet could one day take its rightful place in our country.

[dancetaxi]

A nice piece. The Cuban people are very passionate (my high school Spanish teacher was Cuban.) It seems as though they really view their dancers as National Treasures. Wonderful! I'd bet attending a ballet performance there would be something you'd never forget!!

[Treefrog]

I haven't had a chance to listen yet, but I am reminded of the part on the video Born to be Wild that shows Cornejo dancing in Havana. The crowd goes wild! There is much appreciative clapping and shouting.

 

Sometimes, I think we breed this enthusiasm OUT of American audiences. At the Mid-States RDA festival last year, the dancers were reprimanded for enthusiastic shouting, and I seem to remember a thread here that discouraged anything but polite clapping and the occasional "brava", "bravo", or "bravi (as the case may warrant).

[ami1436]

I had the lovely opportunity of seeing Ballet Nacional de Cuba in London last summer - twice. A really gorgeous company to watch - the joy of dancing was pouring out of them. A friend of mine who has seen them in Cuba was amazed at how inclusive it was (in terms of who was in the audience) and how much they were adored.

 

Treefrog - your comment on American audiences is interesting, as most of my friends here find American ballet audiences more vocal and even 'rowdy'!!!!

[Bee]

Treefrog, I think you meant Jose Manuel Carreno when you mentioned the part of 'Born to be Wild'.. =)

[Treefrog]

Yes, thanks for correcting me.

[balletbum74]

Sometimes, I think we breed this enthusiasm OUT of American audiences.  At the Mid-States RDA festival last year, the dancers were reprimanded for enthusiastic shouting, and I seem to remember a thread here that discouraged anything but polite clapping and the occasional "brava", "bravo", or "bravi (as the case may warrant).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Wow, I remember getting that "talk" before the Alexandra Ballet performed the Kingdom of the Shades. I went to the Mid-States RDA festival also. The funny thing is that three of our guests artists from Catalina were from Cuba and one was from Mexico. Rehearsals were always fun and they are very entergetic. I would probably rather have whoops and hollers than mild clapping.