Ballet Hispanico Plays The Apollo Theater 12/17

Ballet Hispanico, the nation's preeminent Latino dance company and a staple of the American cultural scene, announced tickets are on sale for their first-ever performance at the Apollo Theater on Saturday, December 17, 2011. The program will feature live music of GRAMMY winners Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, in addition to the world premiere of Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro's first work for Ballet Hispanico, ASUKA.

The company, famous for bringing a unique blend of Latin dance and classical and contemporary techniques to the stage, will perform a 90 minute program which includes three pieces: ASUKA, CLUB HAVANA and TITO ON TIMBALES. The first piece, ASUKA, is choreographed by artistic director Eduardo Vilaro, honoring the life and music of Grammy Award winner Celia Cruz. This piece was commissioned in part by Goya Foods in celebration of their 75th Anniversary and by Gaily and John Beinecke.

"It's no secret the impact Celia Cruz had on the Latino community. However, what was remarkable was her ability to touch the souls of people around the world through her music," stated Vilaro. "It was only fitting that my first piece for this company would be a tribute to her amazing life, performed on stage of the cultural mecca that is the Apollo Theater."

In CLUB HAVANA the intoxicating rhythms of the Conga, Rumba, Mambo, and Cha Cha are brought to life by choreographer Pedro Ruiz, himself a native of Cuba, as he imagined his very own "Club Havana." TITO ON TIMBALES is set to the music of Apollo Legend Tito Puente, Sr. This revival is a tribute to the master (Puente) whose sophisticated patterns and impassioned rhythms move us to this very day. Both pieces will be performed live by Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Tickets start at $28 and can be purchased at the Apollo Theater Box Office – 253 West 125th Street, call (212) 531-5305 or via Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.

About Ballet Hispanico

Celebrating 41 years of dance and culture, Ballet Hispanico was founded by Tina Ramirez and is recognized as the nation's preeminent Latino dance organization. From its grassroots origins as a dance school and community-based performing arts troupe, Ballet Hispanico has grown to become a world-class cultural institution. Under the artistic leadership of Eduardo Vilaro, the professional Company, School of Dance, and Education & Outreach programs serve as catalysts for cultural dialogue and are the vehicles through which Ballet Hispanico celebrates and shares the dynamic aesthetics of the Hispanic diaspora with all communities. For more information, visit www.ballethispanico.org. Follow Ballet Hispanico on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Apollo Theater
The Apollo is a National Treasure that has had significant impact on the development of American culture and its popularity around the world. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in cultivating artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Jr., JAmes Brown, Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D'Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo's stage. The Apollo Theater's new artistic vision builds on its legacy. New Apollo programming has music as its core, driving large scale and more intimate music, dance and theater presentations. The Apollo will continue to present historically relevant presentations, as well as more forward-looking, contemporary work. Based on its cultural significance and architecture, the Apollo Theater received state and city landmark designation in 1983 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org.