Gala at Bellas Artes brings together Mexican dancers with international careers

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, an event that will be celebrated on September 29, the National Dance Company (CND) will offer a ballet gala today that brings together Mexican dancers with international careers, such as Elisa Carrillo, Katia Carranza, Selene Guerrero, Anaís Bueno, Braulio Álvarez, Enrique Bejarano and José Pablo Castro Cuevas.

The program includes the premiere of the work City of delirium, by dancer and choreographer Sonia Jiménez, with original music by Marcela Rodríguez and the participation of the Bellas Artes Theater Orchestra.

In an interview with The Day, Cuauhtémoc Nájera, co-director of the CND along with Elisa Carrillo, explained that 25 years ago, when the first Mexican dancers were hired by groups from other countries, he intended to make the work they do known, because there is a lack of information about what they have achieved.

I hope this is the first step so that every year these Mexicans with international careers, whether as dancers, choreographers or teachers, visit us and share what they have learned, their vision of dance as Mexicans in another country; this is the reason for the gala that I have been preparing for many years.

The special performance to celebrate the anniversary of the cultural center will feature Anaís Bueno, a dancer with the Joffrey Ballet; Katia Carranza, a principal dancer with the Miami City Ballet; Elisa Carrillo, former principal dancer with the Staatsballett Berlin; Selene Guerrero, second soloist with the National Ballet of Canada; Braulio Álvarez, soloist with The Tokyo Ballet; Enrique Bejarano, a dancer with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and José Pablo Castro Cuevas, a dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, who will share the stage with Mayuko Nihei, Yoalli Sousa, and Valeria Mariaud, principal dancers with the CND; as well as Argenis Montalvo and Alejandro Hidalgo, principal dancers of the company, and Alejandro Mendoza, principal soloist.

Of Giselle Killed

Some of the pieces that will be performed are Pas de deux from the second act of Giselle; Planimetry of movement; Pas de deux of Diana and Actaeon; When I return; Italy; Spring waters, among others. The first part of the program ends with Killed, by German choreographer Marco Goecke, directed by Elisa Carrillo.

Cuauhtémoc Nájera commented that, since the date of the gala is just when many companies begin their season, he could not invite other dancers. They were able to reserve their agenda to be at the anniversary of the Palace of Fine Arts.

About the premiere of the choreography City of delirium, Sonia Jiménez, Nájera said that it was a good idea to choose to work with composer Marcela Rodríguez. Marcela’s composition and Sonia’s choreography will be premiered at the gala. Since we talked about the project, I told you that this would be the work to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Palacio de Bellas Artes..

Sonia Jiménez, dancer, choreographer and poet, said that the piece is based on her poetry collections Along with delirium and Ciudad fisura, in which he wrote about society, humanity and intimacy.

The proposal focuses on society, on how the daily life of the people who live in a city goes by; on the traffic and the desperation of its inhabitants, but, at the same time, there are moments of solitude and tranquility, in which you reconnect with yourself, and there are also those relationships with other people; then you return to the crowd, to the chaos that surrounds the city, where you end up doing what society dictates.said Jiménez, who is also a member of the CND.

In City of delirium 31 dancers take part, two of them soloists, who tell the story; the rest represent society. It is a neoclassical staging, which combines classical and contemporary steps.

The interesting thing about the piece is that in one performance the whole story is carried out by a man, and in the next, by a woman, so the feeling that the story gives changes a bit.added the creator.

Cuauhtémoc Nájera specified that the gala also has a name City of delirium, There will be four performances, but only the Mexican artists will participate in the one on September 1st.

The CND will hold the ballet gala and the premiere of City of delirium at the Palace of Fine Arts (Juárez Avenue and Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas) today and September 8 at 5 p.m., and Tuesday the 3rd and Thursday the 5th at 8 p.m.