The 28th International Ballet Festival “Alicia Alonso” will open October 28 to November 5, 2024. This prestigious event will feature performances and several world premieres, staged at some of Havana’s leading venues: the Gran Teatro of Havana, the Karl Marx Theatre, and the Mella Theatre.
The Festival’s program will be announced on September 20.
Named in honor of the legendary Cuban prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, the festival has grown into a significant cultural event. It traditionally showcases a compelling melange of classical ballet and contemporary dance.
This year’s festival promises an extraordinary repertoire that will include celebrated international companies such as the Royal Ballet of London, the English National Ballet, La Scala Theatre Ballet, the Ballet del Teatro Colón, the American Ballet Theatre, and the New York City Ballet.
Founded in 1960 by the National Ballet of Cuba and the island’s departments of culture and tourism, the Festival is a platform for international companies and dancers to showcase their talents alongside the Cuban dance company.
Havana’s International Ballet Festival is a biennial event. The festival transforms the city into a global ballet mecca, attracting renowned dancers, choreographers, and companies from around the world.
Alicia Alonso founded the National Ballet of Cuba in 1948. Although the company thrived artistically, the government at the time refused to fund the arts. After the Revolution in 1959, Fidel Castro began a program of generous funding for the arts and culture. As a result, culture and art have thrived on the island, but it is not just for an elite class. Art and culture are loved by the population and is accessible to all, a concept still very evident today.
Today, following in the footsteps of Alicia Alonso, prima ballerina Viengsay Valdés is the General Director of the Company. Ms. Valdés, trained at the Escuela Elemental de Ballet “Alejo Carpentier,” has been a member of the company since 1994, becoming a Principal Dancer in 1996 and then, Prima Ballerina in 2001.
The National Ballet of Cuba is recognized as one of the leading ballet institutions globally. The company and its school are known for producing superior dancers and impressive dance repertoires.
The 28th International Ballet Festival “Alicia Alonso” celebrates ballet’s enduring beauty and innovation, at the same time, reflecting Alicia Alonso’s enduring and tireless dedication to the art.
The 28th edition of the International Ballet Festival marks the 76th anniversary of the National Ballet of Cuba. This year’s Festival continues the tradition and heritage. Ticket sales for the event open in early October at the box office of the National Theater in the Plaza de la Revolución.
T.K. Hernández is co-founder and editor at Cuba Business Report. Her work has been published in various online news media publications. She has supported fundraising for Cuba’s last two hurricane disaster relief campaigns and is a member of the Cuban Friendship Association. She is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and ACES International alliance of editors. Ms. Hernández is the author of three books, most recently, “The Cuba Interviews: Conversations on Foreign Investment and Economic Development,” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023).
