Ballet Hispanico, recognized as America’s leading Latino dance organization since 1970, will perform in Cuba’s International Ballet Festival of Havana on November 1-2, 2014 at 5pm.  Highlights of the program include Asuka, a celebration of the music of Celia Cruz by Ballet Hispanico’s Cuban-American Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, along with Sortijas (Cayetano Soto), Sombrerísimo (Annabelle Lopez Ochoa), and El Beso (Gustavo Ramírez Sansano).  This engagement marks Ballet Hispanico’s first-ever performance in Cuba.

“This is my second time returning to my homeland since I left at age six,” said Eduardo Vilaro, artistic director of Ballet Hispanico. “I return as a cultural ambassador, bringing our amazing troupe of dancers for Ballet Hispanico’s first performance there. We are thrilled to share our art with the entire world, bringing new perspectives to our cultural dialogue.”

“For Ballet Hispanico to be performing at this prestigious Latino dance festival is an honor and fits beautifully with our mission. It is a testament to the continued growth of the organization,” said Kate Lear, chair of Ballet Hispanico’s Board of Directors.  “We are thrilled to share our stories and the artistry of our dancers with national and international audiences. Art has no boundaries; it travels past social and political borders.”