The invitation reads: “A t our of the world of dance in 12 days, because joy is not written, it has to be danced”. With so suggestive proposal it was opened last Monday, in Santa Clara, the 9th dance season “Para bailar en casa del trompo”. It will last twelve days from December 9 to 20.
Ernesto Alejo- Danza del Alma Company and the event director – refuses to the last month of the year to pass without dancing. For this occasion he calls for the companies Danza Espiral (Matanzas), Los Hijos del Director (Havana), Cuba’s National Folk Ensemble (Havana), Camagüey Folk Ballet, Pól Frenak Company (Hungary) and the host Danza del Alma.
The presentations in this ninth season are devoted to the 45 and 18 anniversaries of Escambray Theatre Group and Danza del Alma Company, respectively.
A platform placed in the centric Vidal Park resembles the opening stage, without curtains or scenery. The audience, closer to the dancers than usual distance in the theaters, can see every detail.
Watching, for example, how one of the dancers bleeds from a right toe and yet continues as if it did not hurt, as if blood was not in his skin. Other challenges his sweaty palms and feet, he knows that the chance of slipping or dropping the girl he holds aloft is greater than the one of his colleague whose palms do not sweat … but he continues, and do not fall.
Nerves betray the girl from the Vocational Art School and among so many looks she makes a wrong step, lets tears to confuse with her smile and strives more, takes the following steps more confidently, without nerves or tears, as when flipping, back to the public, she banished them from her face.
None of these details would have been noticed if the stage to be more distant and the light was so tenuous as that of the theater, but Ernesto Alejo insists that the opening should be in the park, for more people to assist: those who are there, waiting from one hour before, those who pass and stop, those watching from the top of buildings … they are dancing for all of them.
Ernesto Alejo insists that this is a mystical space: the Mecca of dancing, and requires the hands of all that audience. Viewers know it, and thank with applause and cheers, rewarding every hard movement, every finished presentation.
It is announced another day of dancing, tributes, memories, hearing Alejo shouting “Bravo!” again to encourage the dancers; another day of accepting his inaugural invitation: “let us dance.”
