Boundless, passionate, athletic and amassing exuberant joy of life, irrepressible Cuban dance company 'Ballet Revolución' returns recharged for 2015.
Since touring Australia and New Zealand for the first time in 2013, Cuba's 'Ballet Revolución' has left an indelible mark on the collective minds of all who experienced it. An explosion of contemporary, classical, house and Cuban, the show is a celebration of mad energy and innate 'Cubanness', often described by critics as a show that could not have been produced in any other country but the vibrant island in the Caribbean.
Alejandro Perez Fernandez, one of twenty members of the company, is excited to bring the fresh show back to Australia. “After the last tour, so many people know the show and they enjoyed it. We have changed it a little bit, there's new choreography, new dancers and I think that [for] the audience, with all this information, it will be a nice experience. And for us too.
“We are different from other companies, we put new music of the moment with ballet steps and contemporary steps and we try to make something different. We try to mix ballet with contemporary and it becomes most interesting.
“I am contemporary and for me it is hard work learning the new technique, I must prepare my body shape and my energy to make something different because I don't learn this kind of movement and for contemporary guys it is difficult. And for classical dancers it is difficult too, they have to learn contemporary steps and it's hard work, but at the end it's nice because we try to make a big explosion of energy when we go in front of the audience.”
In keeping with the recreation of Cuban soul in a dance production, the show also features a full band and singers who provide the soundtrack to the night, performing classic rhythm and soul pieces as well as current popular songs. “We have a wonderful band behind us, all the musicians are Cuban and there is a big connection between us, we are nothing without them, it's like a family, and we all push each other to make it our best.”
One of the strongest themes within the show and in Fernandez's talking is a deep love and connection to Cuba and the people who live there, as well as a desire to communicate this love to their audiences. In fact, Fernandez's spiel on his love of Cuba was only stopped short when our phone connection was lost – but it's easy to imagine him turning to the nearest person and continuing for much longer.
“Cuba is our home,” Fernandez says, “we have this energy and in the show you can see it – the Cuban energy and Cuban soul and that's the most important part of the show, we train here every day and we are trying to bring Cuba to the world. Which is nice for the audience and also nice for us, because we want to show people our country.
{youtube}MiVux1Jr6_g{/youtube}
“Cuba is so hot, it is the end of the summer right now and there are people on the street, if you watch the show that is what it's like in Cuba; you can breathe the happiness on the street. It's hot, there's a beach and the sun and it makes the people different to the rest of the world – we are like magic people and in the show you can see the same. There's about twenty people and it's like an explosion on stage there's just so much energy.”
The unique combination of disciplines and the obvious joy that the dancers themselves bring to the stage make this a show not to be missed. With large group numbers and sensual pas de deux, oozing energy and a casual elegance that comes with watching impeccably trained dancers, you will leave, as choreographer Aaron Cash and original Brisbane Tap Dog promises, "with a cheerful heart and literally no worries in the world."
Ballet Revolucion Tour Dates
Tues 23 June – WIN Entertainment Centre (Wollongong)Wed 24 June – Canberra Theatre Centre (Canberra)
Thus 25 - Sun 28 June – State Theatre (Sydney)
Wed 1 - Sun 5 July – State Theatre (Melbourne)
Tues 7 July – Frankston Arts Theatre (Frankston)
Thurs 9 - Sun 12 July – Concert Hall, QPAC (Brisbane)
Tues 14 - Sun 19 July – Her Majesty's Theatre (Adelaide)
From 21 July – Regal Theatre (Perth)
