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Ohio Contemporary Ballet

Mar 06
Love0

Baila Juntos

By Performances, Cuba

Baila Juntos

March 16-18, 2018

The National Theatre

Presented as The Cleveland Havana Ballet, the Verb Ballets and ProDanza will perform shared repertory program highlighting the unique styles of American and Cuban ballet at The National Theatre in Havana, Cuba. Baila juntos or Dance together is the symbolic of this groundbreaking international collaboration.  Cuban ballet has been at the pinnacle of international dance for years and Cuba continues to produce some of the ballet world’s best dancers. Bringing Verb Ballets to Cuba for the first time is an enormous cultural exchange and will integrate American dancers to the very best of Cuba’s ballet scene. Verb Ballets will showcase works by American choreographers to highlight the unique melt of classical technic with modern movement.

SHOW DETAILS

March 16-18, 2018

THEATRE

National Theatre of Cuba,
Paseo y 39
Plaza de la Revolución, La Habana, Cuba

This international collaboration is support by

ProDanza and Verb Ballets will join forces in an international collaboration to form the Cleveland Havana Ballet. Starring the dancers of Verb Ballets of the United States led by Dr. Margaret Carlson, and Havana’s ProDanza under the direction Laura Alonso, this cultural exchange is a groundbreaking partnership supported through the Cleveland Foundation’s Creative Fusion initiative. This significant collaboration will encompass performances in Cuba by the combined companies in March 2018. Bringing Verb Ballets to Cuba for the first time is an enormous cultural exchange and will integrate American dancers to the very best of Cuba’s ballet scene.

Verb Ballets

Verb Ballets is a contemporary ballet company that presents dynamic programming through bold artistry, unique styles and technical excellence that captivates a broad audience. For the past 30 years the company has fostered dance appreciation and nurtured wellness through movement in outreach and education programs. Verb Ballets has also been named one of Five Great Tiny Troupes in America by Dance Magazine and was one of the 25 dance companies in America to watch.

ProDanza

ProDanza Center in Havana, Cuba was founded by world renown dancer and teacher, Laura Alonso. The technique of the prestigious Cuban school of ballet is an offshoot of the specialized teaching department of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. The company founded in 1995, presented annually more than one hundred functions in three theaters. The company has traveled to Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Guadeloupe and Jamaica. The full repertoire of ballets the company includes: The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Don Quixote, The Corsair, The Swan Lake, La Bayadere, La Fille Mal Gardee, La Sylphide, The Three Musketeers, Dracula, Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges Yarini, as well as programs Pas de deux concerts with classical and original works by contemporary choreographers.

Mar 06
Love0

Yarini

By Performances, Cuba
 

Yarini

March 8-11, 2018 Havana, Cuba

Yarini

March 8-11, 2018

Alicia Alonso Grande Theatre

Presented as The Cleveland Havana Ballet, the Verb Ballets and ProDanza will perform the full length classical ballet, Yarini running March 8-11, 2018 in Alicia Alonso Grand Theater in Havana. The ballet is by international dancer and choreographer, Iván Alonso, the son of Laura Alonso. Yarini is based on a historical hero who reached mythical proportions within popular Cuban culture and imagination. The ballet centers around Alberto Yarini, known as the Prince of Old Havana, Louis Lotot, Yarini’s notorious rival, and the women they loved. The ballet is set in Havana during the Cuban War of Independence against Spain; during Yarini’s rise to power that led to his inevitable tragic death in 1910. The battle highlights passion, power and struggles for freedoms that are the essence of the Cuban spirit.

SHOW DETAILS

March 8-11, 2018

THEATRE

The Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso
458 Paseo de Martí
La Habana 10600, Cuba

PROGRAM

I ACT (1st scene) The Lady of the Veil, in search of Yarini, arrives at San Isidro, a zone of tolerance of the time, where prostitution was practiced. House # 60 was administered by Yarini, where the Lady of the Veil decides to wait for it. La Petite Berthe, the French prostitute with the greatest clientele, was envied by the others and Letot’s favorite, head of the French Cholos (Apaches), adversaries of the Cuban Chulos (Guayabitos). As every year Letot goes to Paris to renew his merchandise, while the Lady of the Veil causes the union of Yarini and Berthe increasing more the hatred between Guayabitos and Apaches.

I ACT (2nd scene) In the Cosmopolitan restaurant, where high society used to be, Yarini’s antiracial character manifests itself by beating the American business representative who mocked a hero of our independence struggles.

II ACT (1st scene) In the square, near the port of Havana, Yarini waits for Letot to tell him that Berthe has a new owner, Letot faithful to his saying – live for women and not die for them – shows him his new acquisition, Yarini in a show of machismo unleashes the wrath of the Apaches who pressure Letot to plan his death.

II ACT (2nd scene) Night falls and the hard day begins for women who exchange pleasure for money, but the Petite Berthe does not feel well and when she says goodbye to Yarini, she has the impression that something bad is going to happen. The Apaches arrived to make their plan, everything seemed perfect but Letot could never imagine that killing the man, created a Myth.

This international collaboration is support by

ProDanza and Verb Ballets will join forces in an international collaboration to form the Cleveland Havana Ballet. Starring the dancers of Verb Ballets of the United States led by Dr. Margaret Carlson, and Havana’s ProDanza under the direction Laura Alonso, this cultural exchange is a groundbreaking partnership supported through the Cleveland Foundation’s Creative Fusion initiative. This significant collaboration will encompass performances in Cuba by the combined companies in March 2018. Bringing Verb Ballets to Cuba for the first time is an enormous cultural exchange and will integrate American dancers to the very best of Cuba’s ballet scene.

Choreographer

Iván Alonso

He began his studies in Classical Dance in 1967 at the National School of Art (ENA), where he graduated in 1975 as a teacher dancer. From there he joined the National Ballet of Cuba reaching the soloist level. He was part of the Young Guard of which he is founder. In 1998 he was awarded the main teaching category of Adjunct Assistant of the Higher Institute of Art. He was appointed choreographer by the Evaluation Committee whose president is Alicia Alonso. He currently serves as Ballet Master and Choreographer of ProDanza the Center for the Promotion of Dance.

Mar 05
Love5

Lunes—3/5

By Cuba

We are getting down and dirty in our pointe shoes. Like my pointe shoes are literally covered in dirt. The Prodanza studios where we have been rehearsing are breathtaking because they all center around an open courtyard. However, that life giving contact with the outdoors consequently gives lots of dirt and dust that end up on the studio floor and on our shoes when we run from studio to studio. My ballet slippers have gotten a huge hole just from the two days we’ve been here and my pointe shoes are looking less pink and more brown all the time. But hey, at least we are getting good work done!

Like I said, the process of putting Yarini together became exponentially more difficult when we realized that the two companies had learned the ballet off of two different DVD versions. After we got home from dinner last night, all of us Verbers spent about 2 hours last night studying the new DVD. We made a lot of progress today, but we still have a lot of work to do before opening night Thursday. And did I mention that with our 4 shows, we have 4 different casts? My brain has been completely jam packed with relearning choreography for all of the different sections I am in…kinda feels like I have scrambled eggs up there (which I learned how to say in Spanish today “revuelto”!).

As intense as this whole rehearsal process is, Lexy and I were reflecting on how special it is to be able to do a full-length ballet. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be performing a principle part in a full length ballet with a Cuban company. Little girl bun head Kate is still in disbelief. Now I really want to be able to do it justice, so now after a dinner break it’s back to more studying for me!

🙂 Kate

Mar 04
Love5

Sunday Funday—3/4

By Cuba

My head is in a whirlwind right now. Here is a list of some of my thoughts in no particular order:

  1. Cuban dancers are objectively amazing. I wish I had known about their technique as a young dancer. It’s so strong and consistent! It is different in a sense that every combination is pretty short and has one emphasized step (so I lose out of my favorite longer dancey waltz combos) but it is great for drilling challenging steps.
  2. I can never complain about a poor dance floor again.
  3. Somehow the characteristic of dilapidation can add beauty (something that Americans, who are always into “new is better”, don’t consider as often).
  4. Americans are obsessed with schedules, so I need to reorient myself and be ready for anything at any time. Se la vie! It does help me to be honed in on the present moment.
  5. Because Verb learned the choreography off of a DVD of an old performance and ProDanza learned the choreography off of a more recent performance, we essentially have to relearn everything that we rehearsed in the past two weeks by our first show this coming Thursday. Me and several other company members are feeling pretty nervous and are having a viewing party of the new DVD after dinner tonight (for those who don’t know, dancers also do lots of homework!). Did I mention se la vie? 🙏
  6. Cuban Spanish is really fun to speak and listen to because it drops the endings of most words and squishes them together. My rusty Spanish is getting an intense workout, but has actually been very useful throughout the trip so far—I even had to help translate a rehearsal today. Having to take ballet class in a second language is especially engaging because you have to focus on every word the teacher utters to stay in the know. Talk about a complete mental and physical workout!
  7. I am incredibly lucky to dance in a company filled with such supportive people. Every Verb dancer truly goes out of their way to hep each other out. I forget how rare that is in the dance world.
  8. My toes feel great right now that freed from pointe shoes
  9. I must live in a sunnier climate after my dance career. A sunny day just makes me so happy! The ProDanza studios are either set up outside or are built with grand open windows. The breeze adds a positive life force all throughout the rehearsal day!
  10. Current day Cubans have a lot of cuisine options and treat their vegetarians well. Don’t listen to the stereotypes of flavorless food! I am eating like a veggie queen.👸

🙂 Kate

Mar 03
Love2

Halfway to Havana—3/3 midday

By Cuba

Friends!

Oh my goodness. It’s finally setting in. We are 1 stop away from Cuba! Ahhh! The company has successfully made it to Houston with minimal problems😝 Thanks to magic conjured by our fearless leader (AKA Associate Director Richard Dickinson, MFA) we managed to make our first flight despite super long lines caused by the recent Cleveland snowstorm. We all have had so much going on learning “Yarini”, preparing our 7 repertory pieces and wrapping up teaching responsibilities that we’ve hardly had mental space to soak it all in. So here it goes:

We are having the opportunity of a lifetime to go to a cultural gem of country and do what we love in collaboration with amazingly talented artists!!! How freaking lucky are we?! Whew!!! Time to strap those grateful goggles on tight and soak it all in🤗

Like I said, I am not sure how accountable the WiFi situation will be once we land in Cuba, so have patience and know that I will be in touch soon. Until then, I will paint the scene before me at the Houston-Intercontinental Airport:

-Omar Humphrey being “extra” and charming everyone in his swanky sunglasses

-Laura Alonso managing her company affairs in multiple languages accompanied by Swedish Fish

-Lots of dancers sporting Starbucks (sponsorship? Anyone?🙏)

-Richard Dickinson looking fly in a full suit and Nike kicks

-Lexy Lattimore dutifully going over Bolero choreography with Nata Santiago close by

-Antonio Morillo and Kelly Korfhage being adorable and discussing UNO

-Lieneke Matte reading about orphans enduring WWII

-Christina and Michael enthusiastically contemplating purchasing a milkshake

-A whole group of incredible people that I am honored and genuinely pumped to travel with👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Talk to you soon!

Kate

Omar and Lexy <3

Warming up in Laura Alonso’s fur

4am limousine rides

Mar 03
Love2

Cuba Eve—3/2 evening

By Cuba

‘Twas the night before Cuba

And all throughout Verb Ballets

Dancers bounded and babbled in a packing soirée!

…I could keep going with the poetry but I don’t want to lose any newer readers to my terrible rhymes and puns yet. Don’t worry, there will definitely be more as the blog progresses😏

That being said, lemme tell you about my soirée🙄

After I woke up to a still powerless apartment, I went to a fellow company member’s apartment and did laundry I needed for the trip. Thanks Mai!! You and your fabric softener are the bomb! After hanging my tights all over the dressing room to dry, I had company class followed by a public rehearsal of “Yarini”, the ballet we will be performing with the Prodanza company in Cuba. The choreography still feels very new, so it was a little nerve-racking, but it was a lot of fun overall (plus all of the dancers got to eat the extra cheese from the reception–score!). Thanks to everyone who came!

I then went back to my still powerless and freezing apartment to pack…only took me 6 hours, 8 candles, and a bunch of hot tea to make it happen! Below you will see a picture of the final product with my cute boyfriend wearing his winter gear and our adorable yet slightly alien looking dog (Leia doesn’t do well with flash). I miss them already!

Now I’m signing off for 4 short hours of sleep made possible thanks to fellow company dancers Omar, Nata, and Antonio, who have generously allowed me to crash at their place so I don’t turn into an ice dancer before Cuba. Thanks so much, guys! I enjoy watching ice dancing in the Olympics, but let’s just say I am ready to get out of icy CLE and into hot Havana.

Eeeep! It’s happening!!! Here we come, Cuba😎

Kate

Mar 03
Love5

We’re Here! Estamos Aquí!—3/3 pt. 2

By Cuba

Great news: We made it to Cuba without any problems! The flight went smoothly, no one got fatally ill and by some miracle all of our luggage got back to us. Stepping out of a plane to a 75 degree breezy day was a dream come truing traveling from cold CLE.

We are all staying in “Casas Particulares” which are extra rooms that locals open up to tourists. Lexy and are staying with a welcoming woman named Katia who has already given me vast architectural knowledge of the neighborhood (we are staying in a Spanish colonial style building) and made me some killer Cuban coffee. Let’s say I’m already a huge fan👌 Lexy and I share a room with a spacious bathroom and kitchen, all of which open up to a breezy balcony.

Most of us hardly slept the night before, but we got a second wind when we rode with bus driver/DJ extraordinaire to dinner. Armando is the man. Not only does he flash on and off the light on the resurrected American school bus that we are using as our main source of transportation to amp up the atmosphere, but he plays some terrific tunes. My new personal favorite is “Abrazame” by Laura BLAH. It’s so unabashedly over the top!

And now after a delicious dinner of croquettes, tostadas, and black bean salad I am going straight to bed. I am already falling in love with Havana!

🙂 Kate

P.s. For those of you who need a bit more of a background as to how Verb is in Cuba, google the “Cleveland-Havana Ballet”. You can also read up about our company members and artistic staff on our website if you want bios on anyone mentioned. I am working on a first name basis 😉

Mar 02
Love1

Ironic Beginnings—3/1 evening

By Cuba

Hello there!

I write this first blog post from a powerless apartment by candle (and laptop) light. People have been going on and on about how to prepare for touring in a less developed country (pack every drug you own! Pack all of the cliff bars! And lots of hand sanitizer!), yet I can’t even use wifi to post this or do the laundry I need to pack for tonight…womp. My first world problems are becoming increasingly apparent and I haven’t even left the country!

Speaking of no wifi, if you’re reading this blog then that probably means that you are wanting follow Verb’s tour to Cuba, AKA the land of spotty/non-existent Internet. So while I will do my best to keep you all updated, expect posts to be delayed or somewhat fractured between text and photos at times. And mom, if you’re reading this, that means I promise I’m still alive even if you don’t hear from me for 48 hours 😝💕

We are all so excited to head out to Cuba in less than 30 hours. We have been working very intensely with Laura Alonso for the past 2 weeks to prepare, and although we always wish we had more time to perfect our roles, we are ready to get out of snowy Cleveland and soak up sunny Havana. I will send all of the rays I can through this blog, so follow along!

Talk to ya soon,

-Kate

I title this high quality photograph “packing by candlelight”

Feb 21
Love2

Havana Nights

By Gala, News

Havana Nights Gala
Friday, April 20, 2018
7:00-11:00PM
The Ballroom at Park Lane

10510 Park Lane Cleveland, OH 44106

 

Nadia & Thomas Wearsch

Gala Chairs

Leslie Davidson               Leslie Kaufman

Gala Co-Chairs

Celebrate the company’s return from Cuba!
The Spring Gala features the Sammy DeLeon Orchestra,
dancing and elegant dinner in historic setting.
Plus, excerpts from Yarini: The Prince of Old Havana —
a ballet never seen outside of Cuba!

Tickets

$150 per guest or $900 Table for six
$1,200 VIP Banquette for six

Cuban Inspired Attire Encouraged

Presenting Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Sliver Sponsors

Marianne Lax & Charles Sheehe

Frederick Lautzenheiser 

Special Thanks

Buy Gala Tickets

Kindly RSVP by April 2, 2018

Tickets sold through Ticket Tailor. To pay by phone call 216-397-3757.

Sammy DeLeon Orchestra

The evening will feature the music of the Sammy DeLeon Orchestra. Sammy DeLeon is a well-recognized fixture in the Ohio Latin jazz scene whom has gained popularity for his danceable groove-oriented music in the styles of Latin jazz, salsa, and merengue. DeLeon’s performance credits include performances with El Gran Combo, Tito Rojas, and Tony Vega. DeLeon has performed in New York, Chicago, Miami, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as locally, and has opened for Tito Puente, whose praise he earned. He also fronts his own orchestra which features four vocalists, a trumpeter, saxophonist, pianist, bassist, and three percussion players.  

Driftwood Catering

Dancing the night away after a delicious dinner prepared by Driftwood Catering. Driftwood Catering redefines catering by preparing local and seasonal foods food fresh. Driftwood Catering is led by consulting chef and president Chris Hodgson. Hodgson is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and was featured on Food Network’s: Food Network Star and 2014 FOOD AND WINE’s People’s Best New Chef for the Great Lakes Region.

The Ballroom at Park Lane

10510 Park Lane Cleveland, OH 44106

Originally built in 1923 as a luxury hotel and speakeasy for the influential and elite, The Ballroom at Park Lane has changed with the times to accentuate America’s most pivotal eras. As a concert venue in the ’60s, it hosted folk legends Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie. Today, it serves as the backdrop for Cleveland’s most talked about events. The Ballroom blends the old world and the new to create something truly timeless.