Once again, dancing, as a means of artistic expression, joins Cuba and the US, on this occasion, with two choreographies by the Cuban company Malpaso: the first one by its director, Cuban Osnel Delgado and the second one by North American Ronald K. Brown.
This one-year old companyis made up of nine dancers trained in the National Dancing and Ballet schools, and nourished from modern, classic and contemporary styles.
Osnel Delgado, director ofMalpasoand North American choreographer Ronald K
Osnel Delgado explains us: “Malpaso is characterized by the physical work of its dancers and even though we are a very young company, we are defending a language of our own. I wouldn’t dare to say we already have it, we are simply working hard and I hope people like it”.
The personality and qualities of these dancers got Ronald Brown’s attention, who is also director and choreographer of Evidence Company, from the US. He commented OnCuba how he joined this project: “I had a proposal to come to Cuba to work in the choreography of a contemporary dance company. I had to choose between 11 companies and Malpaso was fifth. Something was right about their work and their efforts. I think I made the right choice and I love what we found out together in this process”.
The two choreographies were premiered last March 28, 29 and 30 at the Mella Theater. Osnel Delgado’s choreography is entitled “24 horas y un perro” and all the music was written exclusively by Arturo O’Farril, pianist and director of the New York band Afro Latin Jazz.
Despite not being able to participate in the show, the son of mythical Chico O’Farrill, was also seduced by the company. “Arturo came to Cuba for the Jazz Plaza Festival; that’s where I met him. Then, we invited him to the studio, and he saw some fragments of the pieces and said he wanted to collaborate with music and so he did”, Delgado noted.
He pointed out that “the music of 24 horas y un perro is about the life in the city and everything that happens during a day. Getting up in the morning, walking the dog out, going to work, and the daily reflections on people close to you are some of the feelings present in the choreography”.
On the work of other internationally renownedcompaniesRonald Brown stated: “They make me think of Evidence, my company, because even though we are small company in number, we can do anything technically speaking. We stand out from the rest of those large companies that, in spite of having talented dancers, these are mostly interested in showing up as individuals rather than sharing experiences as a company”
By Elcira Martínez Adán
