It is with great pride that Verb Ballets announces its second tour to Havana, Cuba! The company will travel in February 2020 to continue the international collaboration with ProDanza. As part of The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project, Cuban dance legend and Director of ProDanza, Laura Alonso returns to Cleveland in January to reunite with the dancers of Verb Ballets and stage the full-length classical ballet, Romeo and Juliet. Both companies will perform together for performances at The Teatro Nacional de Cuba running February 28 – March 1, 2020. There will be a tour group to Cuba lead by Global Relations Travel Club and opportunities to witness the collaboration in Cleveland.
World-renowned dancer, Laura Alonso, will work with the company
Laura Alonso, daughter of world-famous ballerina Alicia Alonso, is known as an award-winning teacher, coach and an expert at staging the classics around the world. Director of the professional company ProDanza, Alonso founded the international dance school Centro ProDanza. In addition to a 25-year performing career with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, she has also served as an international coach, jury member and teacher at the Jackson International Ballet Competition, the Concours Internationale de Dance de Paris, France, the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Competition and others.
A Cuban and American ballet company will perform together in Romeo and Juliet
As part of The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project Laura Alonso will be in residence with Verb Ballets January 6-27, 2020 to stage the full-length classical ballet, Romeo and Juliet. The dancers of Verb Ballets will travel to Cuba in February to join ProDanza for combined performances at The Teatro Nacional de Cuba running February 28 – March 1, 2020. This will be the second full length production the companies have collaborated on in Cuba.
The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project is made possible through the support of the Cleveland Foundation. This unique collaboration was highlighted by Pointe Magazine. Verb Ballets is honored to work on this cultural exchange project with Laura Alonso for the fourth year to bring the best of Cuban dance and American repertory to new audiences.
Project History and Timeline
2016
Verb Ballets was invited to participated in Creative Fusion: Cuba Edition, an international artist residency program through The Cleveland Foundation. As a part of a tour visiting Cuban artists, Producing Artistic Director, Dr. Margaret Carlson met with world renowned dancer and director of ProDanza, Laura Alonso. There, they began the first steps in creating The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project to join the companies for one of a kind artistic exchanges.
2017
In 2017, Alonso came to Cleveland for two months to train the dancers of Verb Ballets in the Cuban ballet method. She staged the full length classical ballet, Yarini, by international dancer and choreographer, Iván Alonso, the grandson of Alicia Alonso in preparation for the collaboration.
2018
In the spring of 2018, this groundbreaking partnership toured Cuba for two weeks with performances at The Alicia Alonso Gran Teatro of Havana and the El Teatro Nacional by the combined companies. 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.
2019
Last February, Laura Alonso and principal dancer from ProDanza, Luz Martinez, returned to Cleveland for the third year of the project exchange to reunite with the dancers of Verb Ballets. This residency continued the exchange of Cuban and American repertory.
2020 January
Laura Alonso will be in residence in Cleveland at Verb Ballets on January 6-27, 2020 staging Romeo and Juliet on the company in preparation for the tour to Cuba. Ms. Alonso will also conduct teacher training with the company to learn the Cuban ballet method and create a curriculum for the youth program of the Verb Ballets Center for Dance.
2020 February
The dancers of Verb Ballets will travel to Cuba in February to join ProDanza for combined performances at The Teatro Nacional de Cuba running February 28 – March 1, 2020.
February 28- March 1, 2020
Romeo y Juliet
Together as The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project, they will present Romeo and Juliet at The Teatro Nacional de Cuba running February 28 – March 1, 2020. One of the most romantic ballets will unfold with passionate choreography, expansive sets, lush costumes, and exhilarating fight scenes in this grand-scale production. The classical ballet is staged and directed by Cuban dance legend and Director of ProDanza, Laura Alonso. The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project is made possible through the support of the Cleveland Foundation.
Opportunities to witness this cultural exchange in Northeast Ohio:
Live @ Noon with Laura Alonso
January 17, 2020 12:00pm
Verb Ballets Center for Dance
Tickets: $15
The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project Return Celebration
March 13, 2020 7:00pm
Verb Ballets Center for Dance
Tickets: $50
Cleveland Havana Ballet Project
March 15, 2020 2:00pm
Akron-Summit County Public Library Auditorium
Tickets: $10
February 27- March 2, 2020
Travel to Cuba
Experience Cuba in this once in a life time tour led by Global Relations Travel Club! The well rounded itinerary showcases the culture, history and beauty of Cuba and attendance at the premiere performance of Verb Ballets and ProDanza in Romeo and Juliet.
For more information on the itinerary and details email to be connected to the Global Relations Travel Club.
