A world away, yet also right here. Ballet Hispánico’s celebration of Latino cultures from around the globe at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on March 2 was dynamic, innovative, and embodied a community spirit of multicultural experiences. From the range of choreographic influences present in the works to the efforts of the Mahaiwe’s community engagement programs to provide and ensure arts access in Great Barrington, the world was brought to Great Barrington, and from Great Barrington, the audience was transported around the world.
The performance began with silence, a silhouette, and sultry impressions. In “Línea Recta,” choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to music by Eric Vaarzon Morel, the opening solo female dancer captivated the audience with her slow, detailed attention to her floreo, the handwork of Flamenco dance, and the intricate dance between her and her long, red, ruffled skirt train. As she began to dance and be partnered in smooth, effortless lifts, her train became a third “dancer” of sorts, seamlessly fitting into the choreography with intentional intertwining. The creative and innovative use of a costume and prop is a characteristic of Ochoa’s work, as again demonstrated with the use of Flamenco fans to evoke an air of mystery and emotion in the piece’s arc. Despite the contemporary ballet choreography being strongly influenced by Flamenco, a percussive dance form rooted in rhythmic use of the feet, musical instruments, clapping, and singing, the dancers of “Línea Recta” all performed barefoot or in soft-soled ballet shoes. However, clapping and floor tapping did indeed present themselves in the piece, directly bringing the percussive nature of Flamenco into the work.
The next three pieces—although they were all excerpts from different pieces by different choreographers—complemented each other well with their ballroom and partner dance influence. In “¡Si Señor! ¡Es Mi Son!,” by Alberto Alonso to music of Gloria Estefan, the audience was treated to a beautiful and romantic duet by charismatic dancers, enveloped in a deep blue light, evoking a nightclub nearing midnight. “Danse Creole,” by Geoffrey Holder to music by Frantz Casseus, transported the audience to another time period in the Caribbean through the choreographic connection to the drumming and rhythm of the islands’ musical roots. “Club Havana,” by Pedro Ruiz to music of Israel López, Rubén Gonzáles, A.K. Salim, Pérez Prado, and Francisco Repilado, drew from Latin ballroom dances, blending spirited rhythms, fast and dynamic footwork, and spunky style to bring the audience into abundant applause with the final lift that the two duet partners completed in perfect synchronicity, swinging their partners up from the floor and around to lift them behind their backs for a culminating moment of bravura.
To conclude the performance, “18+1,” by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano to music by Pérez Prado, took the audience on a humorous and joyful journey. Through the choreography, the dancers’ embodiment of a range of emotions, moments of intentional awkwardness, joy, and even sparkling confetti, “18+1” was seemingly reminiscent of a coming-of-age story. As a soloist changed her costume on stage from the matching gray jacket all the dancers were wearing to a bright red top, she stood out even more as the cast circled her while she remained center stage. The dancer’s strength, precision, and electric movements when in unison contrasted the quieter, more subtle moments of introspection, particularly when the house lights came up dimly to emphasize the solo dancer sitting on the apron of the stage while theatrically pondering before the entire cast joined her in quick, synchronized gestural movements. The audience particularly enjoyed “18+1,” audibly expressing enthusiasm for the uplifting, delicately humorous, and joyful choreography during the final applause.
Ballet Hispánico’s nuanced and innovative repertoire was a privilege for Great Barrington to experience and to join in with the celebration of cultures through dance, music, and community.
