Ballet Hispánico B Unidos continues with New Daily Online Company Classes

Ballet Hispánico continues B Unidos, its Instagram video series on Motivational Monday, May 18 with a message from Dr. Jonathan LaPook, Chief Medical Correspondent for CBS News, and El Beso Facebook Watch Party, choreography by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 7pm at www.instagram.com/ballethispanico/.

Open Classes in Afro-Cuban, Ballet, Contemporary and Yoga are now available daily for all levels via Zoom as Pay-What-You-Can, $5 suggested fee. Details are available at https://www.ballethispanico.org/bunidos/class-schedule.

The week’s content continues on www.instagram.com/ballethispanicoedu/*:
Take Action Tuesday 5/19:
– The School of Dance offers an 11am activity for Pasitos (children ages 2-5) and a Latin Rhythms Class with Cecelia Cáceres at 5pm on Instagram LIVE.
Wepa Wednesday 5/20:
– 7pm ET: Facebook Watch Party of El Beso followed by Choreographers & Cocktails – a LIVE Q&A discussion with Eduardo Vilaro and Choreographer Gustavo Ramírez Sansano. Watch this Company performance LIVE with us on Facebook, YouTube, or view on our website.
Therapeutic Thursday 5/21: 
– 5pm ET: Yoga Class Workshop with Natalia Mesa on Instagram TV.
Flashback Friday 5/22:
– 11am ET: A tribute to Tina Ramirez from Ballet Hispánico archives of videos and photos, with a request for followers to share their archives with the company. 

* unless otherwise notedEl Beso(2014)Choreography by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano
Music by Amadeo Vives, Tomás Bretón,
Reveriano Soutullo and Juan Vert, and Ruperto Chapi
Women’s Costume Designs by Angel Sanchez
Men’s Costumes Styled by Angel Sanchez
Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Set Design by Luis Crespo
Spaniard Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s first work for Ballet Hispanico is a spirited look at the nuances of a kiss set to Spanish Zarzuela music and featuring original costumes by Venezuelan fashion designer Angel Sanchez.
World Premiere: April 15, 2014 at the Joyce Theater

Class Schedule (Weeks of 5/18, 5/25, 6/1:)
Mondays at 10:30am
Ballet (Adv/Pro) – Open Company Class, Vanessa Valecillos, Founding Member of Luna Negra Dance Theater & Former Ballet Hispánico Company Member
Mondays at 12:30pm
Vinyasa Flow Yoga – Open Company Class, Melissa Verdecia, Company Member
Mondays at 6pm
Capoeira (Open Level) – Open Company Class, Leonardo Brito, Company Member

Tuesdays at 10:30am
Contemporary (Adv/Pro) – Open Company Class, Mario Zambrano, Associate Director at  Julliard School, Choreographer & Former Dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater and Batsheva Dance Company
Tuesdays at 12:30pm
Ballet (Beg/Int) – Open Company Class, Laura Lopez, Company Dancer

Wednesdays at 10:30am
Ballet (Adv/Pro) – Open Company Class, Charla Genn, Juilliard School Ballet Instructor
Wednesdays at 12:30pm
Power Yoga Workout- Open Company Class, Melissa Verdecia, Company Member

Thursdays at 10:30am
Contemporary (Adv/Pro) – Open Company Class, Mario Zambrano, Associate Director at  Julliard School, Choreographer & Former Dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater and Batsheva Dance Company
Thursdays at 12:30pm 
Ballet (Beg/Int) – Open Company Class, Laura Lopez, Company Dancer

Fridays at 10:30am
Ballet (Adv/Pro) – Open Company Class, Ana Novoa, Former Principal Dancer, National Ballet of Cuba, English National Ballet

Fridays at 12:30pm
Afro-Cuban (Open Level) – Open Company Class, Lyvan Verdecia, Company Dancer

# B Unidos
The Instagram series features videos created by the three arms of the Ballet Hispánico: the professional company, the School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnership (CAP) and featuring the hashtag #BUnidos at www.instagram.com/ballethispanico/.

Daily, the company releases a new video generated by the dancers, teachers and administrators with the goal of serving as class, exercise, and inspiration: Motivational Mondays (inspirational messages), Take Action Tuesdays (technique tips for young dancers), Wepa Wednesdays Watch Parties, Therapeutic Thursdays (focus on conditioning, health and wellness, stretching), and Flashback Fridays (retrospective looks at past 50 years from Ballet Hispánico’s archives).

“As a community of dancers, artists, and human beings, we are all in this together. We will persevere through this challenging time and we hope that these videos provide a coping outlet, for you, for our followers and the community overall,” said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico. “Now more than ever, it is important to band together in support of the arts. The personal and professional challenges that we have already endured and will continue to face over the next few weeks or months are significant. What we can take from this time of cancellations, uncertainty and social distancing is a chance to use our creativity to connect with the community on a new level. Social distancing does not mean emotional distancing. Ballet Hispánico was founded upon and has always believed in the importance of reaching and servicing our community through dance and culture. As this pandemic occurs during our 50th Anniversary, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come, get back to our roots by reaching out to community near and far, and look forward to what is ahead.”

About Ballet Hispánico
Ballet Hispánico, America’s leading Latino dance organization, has been bringing people together to celebrate the joy and diversity of Latino cultures for 50 years. Over the past five decades, Ballet Hispánico’s mission-driven ethos has been a catalyst of change for communities throughout our nation. By bringing the richness of the Latinx culture to the forefront of performance, education and social advocacy, Ballet Hispánico is a cultural ambassador. The organization’s founder, National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez, sought to give voice to the Hispanic experience and break through stereotypes. Today, Ballet Hispánico is led by Eduardo Vilaro, an acclaimed choreographer and former member of the Company whose artistic vision responds to the need for social equity, cultural identity, and quality arts education for all. Ballet Hispánico has been, and will continue to be, a beacon for diversity. The art we create explores and celebrates the culture without the trappings of stereotypes. We foster the pursuit of art as a way of providing transformation through the exploration of the human condition. Our art often defies gravity, acting as a frontline against cultural division by releasing preconceived notions of culture and instead offering our audiences new perspectives.