Ballet Hispanico to light up the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek

Called a “gem” of the New York dance scene for years, Ballet Hispanico celebrates work by female choreographers during its upcoming performance at the Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC) in Beaver Creek. The evening’s program includes three passionate dances by three passionate Latina women.

Ballet Hispanico performs on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $58 for adults and $25 for students. Tickets can be purchased by calling 970-845-8497 or visiting http://www.vilarpac.org. For a limited time, attendees can purchase a Me + 3 package which offers four tickets for the price of three.

The upcoming Ballet Hispanico performance will feature “Linea Recta” by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, “Con Brazos Abiertos” by Michelle Manzanales and “3. Catorce Dieciseis” by Tania Perez-Salas.

A powerful work that resonates long after its finished, “Linea Recta” (translation: straight line) explores an intriguing aspect of flamenco dance: the conspicuous absence of physical contact between dancers. While maintaining the integrity and hallmark passion of the genre, Belgian-Colombian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa imagines an original and explosive movement language premised upon the theme of communication between the sexes. Flamenco guitar music composed by Eric Vaarzon Morel sets the soundtrack for the dance.

In the contemporary “Con Brazos Abiertos” — which translates to “With Open Arms” — Michelle Manzanales (who directs the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance) takes a nostalgic and humorous look at iconic Mexican symbols she was reluctant to embrace as a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas. Set to music that ranges from Julio Iglesias to rock en espanol, “Con Brazos Abiertos” is a fun and frank look at a life caught between cultures.

Considered one of the leading voices of Mexican contemporary dance, Tania Perez-Salas draws inspiration from the number Pi, a mathematical constant, to reflect on the circularity of human movement through life. Set to music by Antonio Vivaldi and other Baroque composers, “3. Catorce Dieciseis” (translation: 3 fourteen sixteen, or 3.1416) uses intense theatricality and beautiful imagery to create a joyful feast for the senses.

Founded in 1970 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan by Tina Ramirez, Ballet Hispanico has become a catalyst for bringing communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures from around the world. The company of 15, representing a number of nationalities, brings to the stage training in modern and classical dance plus ballet. Now under the artistic direction of Eduardo Vilaro, the company performs diverse repertory by today’s foremost choreographers as well as emerging artists. The works fuse Latin dance with classical and contemporary techniques to create a new style of highly theatrical concert dance where passion propels each move.

via:: Vail Daily