It has been said that the hours, effort, and discipline required to make a skilled and technical dancer/artist is comparable to becoming a brain surgeon. A dancer’s training is not to be taken lightly and where it can lead to speaks volumes to this expansive art form. Miami and South Florida audiences have opportunity to see dance performances and events that cater to the diverse tastes of a discerning crowd.
One such opportunity to see dancers of international reputation and future dance stars is during the International Ballet Festival of Miami 2015.
The festival will be in Miami at a variety of venues over two weeks, Aug. 29 to Sept 13.
This diverse festival founded by artistic director, Pedro Pablo Peña, is celebrating 20 years. “The audience in Miami likes to see the best dancers. There are a lot of balletomanes here who know what exactly what the classical dance is," says Peña.
Peña began his ballet training as a young boy. He danced for Havana's Opera Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba, Musical Theater of Havana, where he also served as choreography director and was founder and director of the First Choregoraphic Dance Workshop in Havana. He arrived in Miami in 1980 and 13 years later, founded the Miami Hispanic Ballet for dancers of Hispanic origin who were living in South Florida. He took that idea one step further in 2006 when he began the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami in an effort to promote the Cuban ballet tradition and to support Cuban dancers who defected from Cuba.
Peña also founded the Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center, housed in Miami's historic Warner House, 11 S.W. 5th Ave., Miami, which includes the Creation Arts Center, The Miami Hispanic Ballet and International Ballet Festival, and the Cuban Classical Ballet and School. With adequate funding, Pena hopes to add another "more contemporary facility" that includes state of the art studio space and a black box theater.
The International Ballet Festival of Miami, in some ways, brings all of Peña's ideas together.
There will be dancers performing from major companies throughout the world. For the first time, eight dancers from the Korean company, Ballet Sun Hee will be performing as a tribute to September 11.
The festival includes numerous ballet performances, a contemporary performance, a medalist performance as well as films, awards and events that surround dance. An “Oda a la Danza,” composed by Isaac Rodriguez with lyrics by Ubaldo Medina, will be featured to celebrate 20 years of festivities. It also is a way to honor the work and dedication of "all dancers throughout the world," according to Peña. There will also be a special poster unveiling created by Cuban artist, Jorge Santos.
Each year, the festival presents an award for Criticism and Culture of Ballet. This year, Swiss journalist Jean Pierre Pastori is the recipient.
An educational component is also built in to the programs, which will feature the International Young Medalists Performance. National and international young ballet artists from the Youth America Grand Prix dance competition will offer a special performance to showcase their talents so audiences can see them as they develop to become the stars of tomorrow.
On Friday, Sept. 4, at 11 a.m., public school children will have the opportunity to see the young medalists perform in a free matinee at the Chapman Conference Center at Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus 300 N.E. Second Ave. Building 3, Miami Downtown. There will be a performance open to the public that evening at 8 p.m.
A public performance, Program II on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 5 p.m., in the Colony Theater on Lincoln Road, features Cutting Edge Contemporary and Modern dance featuring the sensational soloist Klever Viera.
The culmination of the festival is a gala where principal dancers from more than 15 companies will perform. It will include Dance Stars from around the world performing the most famous classical ballet repertoire and is the performance not to be missed.
The performance is Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. in the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.
"At the beginning, when I started the festival, people said I was crazy. After 20 years, we are still here and growing. For two weeks in August and September, the culture of Miami is in the international ballet," says Peña.
The International Ballet Festival takes place at various venues around Miami from Aug. 29 to Sept. 13. For the complete list of performances, click here.
