Choreographers: Raúl Reinoso, Norge Cedeno, Thais Suarez, Pontus Lidberg, Maria Rovira, Alexis Fernandez, Yaday Ponce.
Formed in 2016, Carlos Acosta’s Acosta Danza embodies the youthful exuberance of its home city of Havana. Like Acosta himself, now be based in the Midlands, as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Acosta Danza is influenced and inspired by its homeland, and Cuba’s culture is at the heart of this programme of five wide-ranging works – three UK premieres by Cuban choreographers and two works revived from the company’s 2020 tour. The five works don’t flow as you might hope. The order they’ve chosen to perform them in seems a little odd, and breaks to reset are overlong, unsettling the audience. Phone screens light up around the auditorium and the chatter level rises. But once the lights go down for each piece a little bit of magic happens.
The programme opens with Liberto, which talks of slavery and power. Two dancers portray the fight for freedom, of body and of mind, and the right to choose their own path. The piece introduces us to two of the company’s finest dancers – Mario Sergio Elias and the extraordinary Zeleidy Crespo. They are mesmerising in solo sections of the work, but extraordinary in the duets. Sadly, the lighting design fails them somewhat with much of the piece lost in darkness.
The second of the premieres, Hybrid changes the pace. Inspired, the programme tells us, by the story of Sisyphus there’s a strong dystopian theme, otherworldly, with something of a Hunger Games vibe. Individuals are pitted against the crowd, against one another. They are heroes and villains, the oppressed and the oppressors. The very best moments of this work are when the company dance together, in a powerful huddle, with a relentless pace. Costumes by Celia Ledón add a militaristic sci-fi feel and the addition of swirling grey and red fabric works brilliantly to enhance the rhythm.
Paysage, Soudine, la nuit is the first to the revived works. Swedish Choreographer Pontus Lidberg explores Cuban culture through rumba, traditional Cuban music with its roots in Africa. It’s a simple celebration of youth, a midsummer gathering with lots of flirting and fun. There is a hazy, dreamlike quality to this twilight gathering that goes on until sunrise, wonderfully created with a simple set and atmospheric lighting design by Yaron Abulafia.
It is very good to see Zeleidy Crespo back to dance the solo Impronta, although her body is so contorted at the start of the piece that, at first, it’s hard to know if you are looking at one dancer or two. In a long pale blue satin dress her long-limbed, muscular body is extraordinary beautiful and this piece could have been created just for her. Reflecting Afro-Cuban folk dance, but simple and devoid of any narrative, this short work is the highlight of the evening.
In a final celebration of Havana life, the company revive De Punta a Cabo. Brilliantly overlayed on a projected film of the company on the Havana waterfront, the work was premiered at the company’s debut performance in their hometown in 2016. It speaks of 21st century Cuba, its traditions, its urban growth, its development, its pollution and its poverty. But most of all it reflects youthful exuberance and positivity, along with the country’s world-renowned music traditions. We hang out all night with the company by the sea wall, dancing, seducing, making friends and making love. When the sun rises they make their way exhaustedly home. If this was billed as a musical the audience would be dancing in the aisles. As it is they make do with a bit of whooping. It’s the perfect end to the night – fearless and fun, seductive and sexy, 100% Cuban.
Runs until 23 February 2022
