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Join us in the Celebration of

Cuban Dance and History

June 17, 2021

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Ballet Creole’s Heart of Cuba production received its premiere in October 2019. It celebrates Cuba’s African roots and two of the country’s most influential figures in Cuban modern dance. Heart of Cuba features choreography by Cuban-Canadian artists Arsenio Andrade Calderon (National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica) and Jose Angel Carret (Danza Corpus), alongside Ballet Creole’s Artistic Director Patrick Parson.

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The Heart of Cuba Symposium pays homage to several figures within Cuban art, among them Ramiro Guerra Suárez, founder of dance in Cuba and Eduardo Rivero Walker, Artistic Director of Danza del Caribe, until his last days. This event features teachers and professors of Cuban dance and culture who live in Canada where they have impacted the culture of dance, along with teachers and dancers from Cuba who are helping to make Cuban culture visible in mainstream Performing Arts in Canada.

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TOPICS: 

·         Cuban Dance from Tradition to Contemporary

·         Folkore Cubano as Professional Theatre 

·         Cuban Ballet – Modern – Folklore Technique

·         Cuban Arts in Traditional and Contemporary Theatre

·         Cuban Dance Arts in Wellness and Training

·         Cuban Dance Technique – World View, Impact and Legacy

·         Impact of Cuban Dance Technique in Today’s Performing Arts

·         Technica Cubana: Formation and Impact – Ramiro Guerra

·         Artistic Expression and Technique – Eduardo Rivero

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CONGO LAYE
Choreographer: Arsenio Rafael (1996)

“Dedicated to Motherland Africa, to my roots and ancestors, to my mentor, and Spiritual guide Maestro Eduardo Rivero Walker.”  

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Live Music by: N‘dere Headley, Mikhail Parson, Reimundo Sosa
Music: Ballet Folklorico Cutumba

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Dancers: Shavaun Brown, Kirk Easy*, Yuhala Muy Garcia, Alistair Graphine, Gabriella Parson, Jeanne Arlette Parson, Erika Suarez*, Jethro Moise**

 

LLAMAR Y RESPONDER
Choreographer: Patrick Parson

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“The piece is “Call and Response “: My first call to go to Cuba came in 1993 and I responded then and numerous times afterwards in numerous ways. Each response built my knowledge to create this ballet. The movements are a response to the music, the cultural knowledge, meeting my muse, and Cuban culture. Having just spent 5 weeks in Cuba the response is the love for Cuban culture and the resulting of my last son; Zane ..he is so special.” 

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1 - COMPARSA - a group of dancers, musicians and singers that take part in carnivals and other celebrations. It’s the time to be free and let go showing another manner to express the roots of Cuban culture. 

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2 - ARARA - Arará is a minority group in Cuba who descended from Fon, Ewe, Popo, Mahi, Dahomey and other ethnic groups in Dahomey.  This dance is about plantations and working in the fields. Arará may also refer to the music, dance, and religion of this group of people. 

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3 - GAGA - The Gagá comes from Haiti, where its original name is "Rará" which means Haitian Carnival. When the independence revolution began in Haiti in 1791, the French settlers living in this country fled to Cuba and the Dominican Republic, taking with them their slaves who in turn contributed all their instruments and folklore.


In Cuba they settled mainly in the areas of Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo, although they could also be found in other eastern regions of the island. The Haitian slaves carried the French tomb and since their masters were not so severe with them, they allowed them to play, sing and dance, hence we inherited their entire culture. 
Gagá comes from the Voodoo religion and is a dance with erotic dances that take the spectator to a state of pleasure. Their songs in Creole language are diverse and are characterized by being antiphonal and with short verses.

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4 - JEANVALOU - the music and dance form that opens the Vodu Cermonies used to pay tribute to papa Legba, the ritual is mixed with the Orisha Elegua in the Cuban Santeria religion

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5 - PALO - Palo has its roots in the Congo Basin of Central Africa, from where large numbers of Kongo slaves were brought to Cuba where the religion evolved. It’s mainly a product of BaKongo religion but has been influenced by other faiths. Palo's liturgical language is a mixture of the Spanish and Bantu languages, known as lengua, bozal or habla Congo.

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Live Music by: N‘dere Headley, Mikhail Parson, Reimundo Sosa
Singer: Consuelo Herrera
Musical Director: Patrick Parson
Costume Design: Patrick Parson

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Dancers: Shavaun Brown, Kirk Easy, Yuhala Muy Garcia, Alistair Graphine, Yui Ugai, Gabriella Parson, Jeanne-Arlette Parson, Falciony Patino Cruz, Erika Suarez

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