Dance Consortium Announces 2017 Tour DANZA CONTEMPORÁNEA DE CUBA

Today, Dance Consortium, a group of 17 large scale venues located across the UK, announces full details of its 40th tour, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba's UK Tour 2017. Last seen in the UK in 2012, Cuba's vibrant flagship contemporary dance company will present an exciting programme choreographed by some of today's most sought-after choreographic names. The 2017 UK tour opens at Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham on 14 February and concludes at Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury on 18 March.

For more than five decades, since the company was founded by Ramiro Guerra in 1959, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba's (DCC) hybrid and hothouse dance blend of African-Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and influences from classical European ballet has been evoking the sensual heart of the Cuban spirit through vigorous and highly physical contemporary dance.

Now under the directorship of Miguel Iglesias, the company will present three UK premieres during its UK Tour- a mixed bill of recently created work by three top choreographers: Belgian-Colombian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa; the UK's Theo Clinkard; and the company's very own Cuban wunderkind George Céspedes.

Hot Cuban passions, sass and wit all meet in Reversible by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. It delves deep into the path of gender matters, sudden changes in relationships, the games, rivalry and pleasure of being opponents and dissidents. To an eclectic soundtrack including music by Jean-Claude Kerinec & Staff Elmeddah, Kroke, Scanner and Eric Vaarzon Morel, Reversible is a captivating comment on gender, spoken in Lopez Ochoa's trademark quirky style, this time with a Cuban accent. Lighting is by Fernando Alonso and costumes by Vladimir Cuenca.

Reversible is performed by seventeen company dancers and premiered in Cuba in 2015. The original production was sponsored by the Netherlands Embassy in Cuba.

Lopez Ochoa has created work for over forty dance companies across the world, including English National Ballet and New York City Ballet, and is currently one of the female choreographers most in demand on the international scene. In 2012 she created her first full-length ballet, A Streetcar Named Desire for Scottish Ballet. The production received a South Bank Sky Arts Award for 'Best New Production' and a Critics' Circle National Dance Award for 'Best Classical Choreography'. Earlier this year Lopez Ochoa received further critical acclaim for Broken Wings, a new work for English National Ballet's She Said programme.

The Listening Room, an exuberant and experimental piece by Theo Clinkard, was created for twenty DCC dancers and premiered in Cuba in May 2016. It was originally funded by British Council as part of 'Islas Creativas' (Creative Islands) initiative between British Council and DCC to support the development of new choreography.

Set to Steve Reich's driving score, 'Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings', The Listening Room is a celebration of expressive and instinctive dancing. As the performers in headphones respond to an alternate soundtrack of wildly diverse music and text, the piece invites the audience to create their own relationships between what they hear and what they see. Lighting is by Fernando Alonso and costumes are made by Vladimir Cuenca.

Following twenty years performing in work by many of the UK's celebrated dance makers, Brighton based choreographer, performer and stage designer, Clinkard has swiftly built an international reputation for creating compelling and visually arresting dance. Clinkard launched his own company in 2012 to develop work that explores the communicative potential of the body and the empathetic nature of dance in performance. In 2015, he was one of three choreographers selected to create a work for the renowned Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch as part of their very first evening of new work after the passing of its founder, the visionary Pina Bausch.

Matria Etnocentra by the company's resident choreographer and dancer George Céspedes sees 23 dancers moving to a drill-like rhythm in this award-winning work: following its world premiere in Havana in 2015, Céspedes was awarded the Critique Villanueva Award 2015 by the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba for 'Best Choreography'.

To music by Nacional Electrónica and Hermanos Expósito including interpretations of the music of Ignacio Villa (Bola de Nieve), costume design by George Céspedes and lighting by Ariel Capote Granado, it is an exciting group work that portrays the tension between the fluidity of music and dance and the regimented nature of daily life in Cuba.

Following DCC's last UK tour, Céspedes' Mambo 3XX1 was nominated for Olivier and TMA awards for 'Outstanding Contribution to Dance'. Born in Holguin in Cuba in 1979 Céspedes studied at National School of Dance in Havana and joined DCC as a dancer in 1998. As a principal dancer he has performed in more than 19 works in DCC's repertoire. He has created works for many companies including DCC, Ballet Nacional de Cuba and National School of Dance.

Miguel Iglesias, Director of Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, said: "With thanks to an ongoing relationship with Dance Consortium and the kind welcome of the UK audiences, we are extremely pleased to return to England, Scotland and Wales with three UK premieres. It is with great pleasure we will present works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Theo Clinkard who worked in collaboration with the British Council during the Creative Islands project and our very own George Céspedes whose work Mambo 3XX1 was so greatly received by audiences and critics in 2012. We hope the 2017 tour helps to build on the exciting and ever-growing relationship between Cuba and the UK."

Ros Robins, Dance Consortium's Executive Director, said: "Marking Dance Consortium's 40th tour, we are looking forward to welcoming Danza Contemporánea de Cuba back to the UK, hot on the heels of the fantastic success of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater tour. Over a seven week period Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater visited ten Dance Consortium theatres, with 34 performances to over 40,000 theatregoers. In addition, 5879 people enjoyed 37 educational sessions led by Ailey dancers and rehearsal director Matthew Rushing inspired 45 of the UK's most talented young dancers in a week-long Intensive in collaboration with DanceEast. We are currently talking to visiting companies about how we continue to build these unique opportunities and eagerly await the arrival of Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, yet another internationally renowned company to the UK."

Dance Consortium presents Danza Contemporánea de Cuba UK Tour 2017 #DanzaCuba2017

Tue 14 & Wed 15 February at 7.30pm (please note NATIONAL PRESS NIGHT is Tue 14 Feb at 7.30pm)

Royal Concert Hall NOTTINGHAM

Tickets: 0115 989 5555 www.trch.co.uk

Fri 17 & Sat 18 February at 7.30pm

The Lowry SALFORD QUAYS

Tickets: 0843 208 6000 www.thelowry.com

Tue 21 & Wed 22 February at 7.30pm

Theatre Royal NEWCASTLE

Tickets: 08448 11 21 21 www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Tue 28 February & Wed 1 March at 7.30pm
Wales Millennium Centre CARDIFF

Tickets: 029 2063 6464 www.wmc.org.uk

Fri 3 & Sat 4 March at 7.30pm
Theatre Royal PLYMOUTH

Tickets: 01752 267222 www.theatreroyal.com

Tue 7 & Wed 8 March at 7.30pm

Brighton Dome BRIGHTON

Tickets: 01273 709709 www.brightondome.org

Fri 10 March at 7.30pm

Eden Court INVERNESS

Tickets: 01463 234234 www.eden-court.co.uk

Tue 14 & Wed 15 March at 7.30pm
Festival Theatre EDINBURGH

Tickets: 0131 529 6000 www.edtheatres.com

Fri 17 & Sat 18 March at 7.30pm

Marlowe Theatre CANTERBURY

Tickets: 01227 787787 www.marlowetheatre.com

About Danza Contemporánea de Cuba (DCC) - Directed by Miguel Iglesias, DCC was founded in 1959 by Ramiro Guerra under the name of Conjunto de Danza Moderna, created from the National Theater's dance department. In 1962 it was renamed Conjunto Nacional de Danza Moderna, became Danza Nacional de Cuba in 1974 and Danza Contemporánea de Cuba in 1987. As Cuba's flag-ship contemporary dance company, the most prominent figures of the Cuban dance scene have started their illustrious careers with DCC. Whilst maintaining all the principles of its founder Ramiro Guerra, compelling and ground-breaking projects continue to thrive. This allows the company to remain open to developments in dance, without forgetting its heritage.

The company's unique style is routed in the principles of Cuban modern dance technique and harmoniously blends with a mix of black and white cultural heritage influenced by Cuba's African and Spanish ancestors, African-Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and classical European ballet.

DCC's international recognition has been undeniable for over five decades, during which time it has performed over 280 premieres, and has received critical and audience acclaim following performances on the most prestigious of world stages: Sarah Bernhardt Theater during the 5th season of Festival of Nations in Paris where DCC's international recognition began; Canadian Art Center, Ottawa; Fine Arts and National Auditorium, Mexico; Las Arenas de Verona; Theaters La Venice and Malibrán; Municipal Theater, Sao Paulo; San Martin, Buenos Aires; Teatro Real de la Moneda, Belgium; Sadler´s Well, London; London Coliseum; Queensland Performing Arts Center; Joyce Theater, New York; Parco della Musica, Rome; Teatro Real de Madrid; Mercat de Les Flors, Barcelona; Maison de la Danse, Lyon; The Lucent Danstheater, Théâtre Palace, Biel; and Bern Opera.

DCC boasts a dynamic and active repertoire- a wide range of work that reveals its unique universality, interpretative ability and the capacity to adapt. From the pure neoclassical language in Folia by Jan Linkens and Casi-casa by Mats Ek to the explosive flair in Demo-n/Crazy by Rafael Bonachela, Mambo 3XXI & Carmina Burana by George Céspedes and Compás by Linkens.

About Dance Consortium - Dance Consortium is a group of 17 large scale venues located across the UK. Since its formation in 2000 Dance Consortium has presented 39 tours by 22 different companies from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, The Netherlands, Taiwan, Israel and the USA. Their performances and education activities have been experienced by hundreds of thousands of people across all parts of the UK. Dance Consortium receives investment as a national portfolio organisation of Arts Council England. Dance Consortium members: Grand Opera House Belfast, Birmingham Hippodrome, Alhambra Theatre Bradford, Brighton Dome, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury, Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, Festival Theatre Edinburgh, Curve Theatre Leicester, Sadler's Wells London, Milton Keynes Theatre, Theatre Royal Newcastle, Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Nottingham with Dance 4, Theatre Royal Plymouth, The Lowry Salford, The Mayflower, Southampton, New Victoria Theatre, Woking.