The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project returns to Cleveland with Cuban dance legend, Laura Alonso. Verb Ballets and Pro Danza continue their international collaboration with a month-long cultural exchange in Cleveland. This project blossomed in 2016-17 season when Alonso came to Verb Ballets to train the dancers in the Cuban ballet method for two months through the Cleveland Foundation’s Creative Fusion: Cuba Edition. The company directors Dr. Margaret Carlson and Laura Alonso then came together last season to join the companies for a one of a kind artistic exchange of Cuban and American repertory that toured Cuba. The cultural exchange will continue in the United States this season with a principal dancer of ProDanza coming to Verb Ballets.
Year 1 : 2016-17 Season
Verb Ballets hosted Laura Alonso for a two month residency through The Cleveland Foundation Creative Fusion: Cuba Edition. Verb Ballets’ Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director and Richard Dickinson, MFA, Associate Director had the opportunity to go to Cuba and visit Laura Alonso before she arrived in Cleveland. Through the work of Laura Alonso’s mother, Alicia Alonso, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba was founded and created one of the best ballet training grounds in the world. Laura Alonso’s professional company ProDanza resides in Havana. Her company continues to thrive with beautiful and hardworking professional dancers with honed technique despite the rough working conditions.
Year 2 : 2017-18 Season
The company directors Dr. Margaret Carlson and Laura Alonso then came together to join the companies for a one of a kind artistic exchange of Cuban and American repertory. Last season this groundbreaking partnership toured Cuba for two weeks with performances at The Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana and the El Teatro Nacional by the combined companies. This unique internatioanl collaboration was featured on Pointe Magazine.
Year 3 : 2018-19 Season
The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project returns to Cleveland with Cuban dance legend, Laura Alonso. Verb Ballets and Pro Danza continue their international collaboration with a month-long cultural exchange in Cleveland. Laura Alonso and her principle dancer Luz Marina Hidalgo Alejo will travel to Cleveland to reunite with the dancers of Verb Ballets for the third year of this international collaboration.
Opportunities to see The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project
Laura Alonso Returns
Laura Alonso Returns
Cleveland Havana Ballet Project in Akron
Cleveland Havana Ballet Project in Akron
Cleveland Havana Ballet Project
Cleveland Havana Ballet Project
Laura Alonso
Laura Alonso, daughter of world-famous ballerina Alicia Alonso, is known as teacher, coach and an expert at staging the classics. Ms. Alonso had a 25-year performing career with Ballet Nacional de Cuba. As an award-winning teacher and coach, she travels the world teaching and staging the classics. Ms. Alonso has 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 other competitions. Alonso founded the international dance school, Centro Pro Danza and directs the professional company Pro Danza.
