Malpaso Dance Company To Make Rare LA Appearance

Malpaso Dance Company, one of Cuba's hottest contemporary dance ensembles, brings a slice of Havana to Southern California with three performances on Thursday, March 28 through Saturday, March 30, 2019, 7:30 pm, at The Wallis' Bram Goldsmith Theater.

The scintillating program of movement and music, reflecting the company's commitment to working with leading international choreographers while also nurturing new voices in Cuban choreography, includes Ocaso by Artistic Director Osnel Delgado and Ser by company member Beatriz Garcia. Malpaso also presents Fielding Sixes by the legendary late choreographer Merce Cummingham, adapted for eight dancers and re-staged by Jamie Scott, and Tabula Rasa by famed Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, who traveled to Cuba in 2018 specifically to crystalize the re-staging of this seldom performed 30-year-old master work. Malpaso, founded in 2012 and celebrated for its blend of modern, ballet, urban and jazz dance styles, is hailed as "driven and invigorating" (The New York Times) and "lusciously agile" (DC Metro). This is only the second time the Havana-based company has appeared in Los Angeles, following its local debut in 2017.

"Malpaso Dance Company has earned an international reputation for its bold and exhilarating performances, diverse repertoire and exceptional skill," says The Wallis' Artistic Director, Paul Crewes. "The Wallis is pleased to showcase this superlative dance company."

Malpaso Dance Company is one of Cuba's most sought-after dance troupes. Emphasizing a collaborative creative process, the company tours with 11 dancers and is led by its original three founders - resident choreographer and Artistic Director Osnel Delgado, Executive Director Fernando Sáez and dancer and co-founder Daileidys Carrazana - who left the state-sponsored Danza Contemporanea de Cuba in 2011. When they created the independent modern dance company, friends expressed concern that it was a "misstep" (malpaso) to launch a new troupe since they would possibly loose government funding and have to assume fundraising responsibilities. But, instead, the global-facing company has expanded the concept of what Cuban culture can be when it reaches outward and embraces the myriad styles of dance.

Single tickets are $35-$105. Visit TheWallis.org, call 310.746.4000, or stop by in person at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Ticket Services Office located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Since opening its doors in October 2013, The Wallis has produced or presented more than 250 dance, theatre, opera, classical music, cinema and family programs to an ever-expanding audience. Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, The Wallis brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music, performed by many of the world's most talented and sought-after artists. Featuring eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its notability as the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis offers original and revered works from across the U.S. and around the globe. The mission of The Wallis is to create, present and celebrate unique performing arts events and educational programs that reflect the rich cultural diversity of our community. Nominated for 48 Ovation Awards, seven L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Awards and the recipient of six architectural awards since opening in 2013. The Wallis is a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot venue that celebrates the classic and the modern and was designed by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA, of Studio Pali Fekete architects.

The building features the restored, original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places) that serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and houses the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater, GRoW at The Wallis: A Space for Arts Education (a gift of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family and the Annenberg Foundation) and the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the art Bram Goldsmith Theater. Together, these structures embrace the city's history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike.