Gender prejudices characterize the teaching of ballet in Latin American, but Cuba is the exception. In the Caribbean archipelago, there are increasingly more boys fighting for the scarce places for ballet schools. Worldwide recognition of the Cuban ballet school dates from five decades ago and at present there are Cuban dancers all over the world, even in Africa where four Cubans recently conquered four medals –two gold, one silver and one bronze– in an international contest. Two of them are already working on a company in South Africa, while the youngest are finishing their senior year at the Cuban National Ballet School, institution that will host the 20th International Meeting of Ballet Academies from April 13 through 26.
“Generally, the academies taking part in the event are for girls, they never have the chance to do some training with boys and here we are able to give them that opportunity, which is the main demand in the event”, noted Elena Cangas, vice president of the Organizing Committee of the event.
“During the meeting, the participants take lessons on classic duets and with Cuban boys, something that isalways new for the girls and make themost of it, though they get more tired than usual”, explained Cangas during an exclusive interview with OnCuba.
Since 1993, the Cuban ballet academy is opened annually for gnoseologic exchange with other schools from the world. This meeting allows them observing the methodology applied in one of the youngest classic schools and exchanging knowledge during lectures and workshops.
“Foreign participants are inserted in groups taking into account their age, and later on they are relocated in accordance with their technical levels, because sometimes there is a 16 or 17 year old girl with a basiclevel from third or fourth year”, she pointed out.
The relocation of students is important so that they can all make the most of the training and be able to meet the demands of their specific levels.
“During the event they get ballet, classic duet, puntas, repertoire, physical training, and character dance lessons in the mornings, whereas in the afternoons they take part in optional choreography, performance, Cuban folklore, body expression, and makeup workshops, among others”, said the professor.
“They find physical training very attractive,for instance, the smallest ones have it as part of their lesson program for the event whileit is optional for the oldest”, added Cangas.
This essential activity for proper and healthy development of dancers is not included in the teaching programs of some foreign schools. More than a few get to the meeting without the necessary training to carry out all the activities this event offers.
The difference in the preparation of Cuban and foreign students is remarkable. Without underestimating efforts, many of their weaknesses are due to the lack of an artistic teaching system in most of the countries of the continent to protect and shape their talents. There are lots of individual academies but no unifying system developed coherently.
Ballet students and teachers from more than 20 nations will shortly arrive in Havana to participate in the Meeting. Their performances at the National Theater and the International Contest for Students will be open for the public from April 22 through 26.
The 20th edition of the event will be dedicated to the father of the Cuban ballet school, Fernando Alonso, who for the first time will not be physically present by the side of teachers and students for an ineludible and painful reason: the great teacher passed away in July, 2013, at the age of 99. The national company he co-funded and directed since its creation in 1948 until 1975, decided to dedicate Havana’s forthcoming International Ballet Festival to famous English playwright William Shakespeare, on the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary. Out of justice, the School where he worked almost till the end of his life will pay homage to his legacy, better known abroad than in his homeland, where he decided to pass away.
As said by the organizers, the most important thing about these International Meetings of Academies isthe exchanges for the sake of dance, which, is the great champion in the end.
