BALLET HISPANICO

Ballet Hispanico spent the final weekend of April at City Center,
celebrating 15 years with Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, and wrapping up their spring
performance season with a program featuring 3 exceptionally diverse pieces.

As the curtain rises, ropes sway above the stage amid swirling haze, evoking a sense of
being on a boat, and immediately sails are cast. Draped fabric billows as a male duet
unfolds, followed by an emotionally intense ensemble. The piece is quietly ferocious, the
movement and partnering complex throughout, while the plot simmers and builds.
Something so marvelous about Ballet Hispanico is the mastery of technique that lends room for the artistry to breathe and stories to take root.

Rather quickly, the audience goes somewhere in Vilaro’s Buscando a Juan. The space the performers take up is immense. They move in a slow drama, that twists into a swift groove reflected in the music. The piece leaves the audience hanging onto its drama, and then suddenly the house lights are up and it’s already intermission.

It was exciting to anticipate what was behind the curtains for piece two, . As the lights descend,  House of Mad’Moiselle a drag queen without her wig emerges, followed by the entire company sporting red bobs. If anyone could pull off a full-company look rocking a red bob, it would be Ballet Hispanico.

The piece revels in sensuality, fun, humor, and attention to detail. The bobs become part
of the dancers’ already grossly articulate bodies. Annabelle Lopez Ochoa created a piece
that builds the identity of the ‘Mother’ seamlessly through music and movement choices highlighting the “iconic female representations found in Latin American culture”.

Gloves, tutu tails, boas, feathers, vocals, nothing is left out of the mixture of cooking up this masterpiece. Of course, the audience can’t help but want in on the fun. The final piece of the triptych, 18+1 by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, concludes with an electrifying solo that contrasts with the predominantly unified choreography. Dark yet captivating, the visually striking formations of the dancers’ bodies form a symmetrical mosaic on stage, occasionally diverging into moments of wonder and a striking red solo. The breaking of the fourth wall and the occasional illumination of the house lights enhance the vulnerable and charged atmosphere of the performance.

During the post-show talk back, three company artists were asked about the essence of
Ballet Hispanico. Seasoned member Omar Rivera emphasized its commitment to
honoring and celebrating diverse Latinx cultures, bringing their stories to life through
movement and music. He highlighted the focus and dedication needed to transition
between the company’s varied styles and techniques, made possible by the talent and
open-mindedness of its members.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Emma Edy Morris