Ballet Hispanico Returns to The Apollo, Today

Ballet Hispanico will present the dance event of the holiday season at the legendary Apollo Theater tonight, December 1, 2012 at 7:30 pm. The Apollo Theater is located at 253 West 125th Street, New York City. Tickets start at $33 and are available for purchase in person at the Apollo Theater Box Office, or through Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.

The evening features three Ballet Hispanico premieres that put a contemporary spin on Cuba's danzón, Argentina's tango, and 1980s Spanish pop. Vibrant live music by the Paquito D'Rivera Ensemble accompanies choreography by Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, Argentinean legend Alejandro Cervera and cutting-edge Spanish choreographers Inma García and Meritxell Barberá.

"The Apollo is a true birthplace of music and innovation," said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director of Ballet Hispanico. "I am thrilled to build on its rich history of artistic collaboration with Ballet Hispanico's return this year alongside Paquito D'Rivera, one of the Latin jazz greats."

The program includes:
A vueltas con los ochenta (World Premiere)

Choreography by Inma García and Meritxell Barberá

García and Barberá's first work for Ballet Hispanico uses contemporary dance to evoke the sights and sounds of the cultural revolution in 1980s Madrid known as "La Movida." From the impulsive, spontaneous movements of each dancer to the beats of electronic pop music that fill the stage, this piece recreates the memory of one night of freedom, exploration, and invention lived by a young group of friends.

Tango Vitrola (Company Premiere)

Choreography by Alejandro Cervera

Turning tango on its head, Alejandro Cervera conjures a metaphysical space that highlights the struggle between men and women through simple yet poetic patterns.

Danzón with live music by the Paquito D'Rivera Ensemble (New York Premiere)

Choreography by Eduardo Vilaro

Initially evolved from Haitian contradance, the Danzón has been called the official dance of Cuba. Eduardo Vilaro has taken this traditional and quintessentially Cuban dance form and reinvented it with contemporary movements to construct a bold work of art for this generation.