Havana, April 12 (Prensa Latina) The 30th International Meeting of Ballet Teaching Academies officially began today in Havana with a beautiful inaugural parade along the Paseo del Prado.
The young participants, carrying the flags and traditional costumes of their countries, traveled from the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana to the Fernando Alonso National Ballet School, the institution hosting the event.
Students from Colombia, Peru, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United States, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Cuba are taking part.
This artistic event will run until April 20th, bringing together more than 400 participants and 40 academies from more than a dozen countries. It invites exchange through conferences, workshops, galas, the Havana International Ballet Competition, and other activities.
It features a broad academic program, along with performances at the Yara cinema, the Covarrubias Hall of the National Theater, and the Fernando Alonso National Ballet School as its main venue. Performances are planned for other areas of the city.
Dedicated to the maestro Ramona de Saá Bello and the Cuban filmmaker Alfredo Guevara, the event will be a space for exchange among students, teachers, specialists, critics, and prestigious ballet figures.
The international guest principal artist is Joseph Gatti, Artistic Director of United Ballet Theatre & Academy and a member of the competition’s jury, confirmed by prestigious figures in the world of dance.
The program includes side events such as the cancellation of the “30th Anniversary” Postage Stamp and the presentation, by Ahmed Piñeiro Fernández, of the book “Ballet, Its World” by Roberto Mendéz Martínez.
There will be theoretical courses, practical workshops, and specialized training for teachers. A key component of this program will be the International Ballet Student Competition.
A highlight will be the meeting with international institutions that apply the Cuban teaching method.
Young talents and masters from diverse latitudes are now gathering in Havana to share knowledge, styles, and dreams, where art becomes a legacy and dance is celebrated as a universal language and a bridge between cultures.
jcm/dla
