Ballet Hispánico to be featured as part of Central Park SummerStage Anywhere

New York, NY – Ballet Hispánico, America’s leading Latino dance organization known for “piercing stereotypes” (The New York Times), will be featured as part of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage Anywhere on Sunday, August 30 at 2pm ET. They will air an excerpt of Línea Recta, choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, on SummerStage’s Instagram Live at instagram.com/summerstage.

Línea Recta
World Premiere: Apollo 2016 at the Apollo Theater
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Eric Vaarzon Morel
Costume Design by Danielle Truss
Lighting Design by Michael Mazzola

Flamenco has long been entrenched in Ballet Hispánico’s history, offered in the earliest classes from the School of Dance and laced within repertory commissioned throughout the Company’s 50 years. 

With a more modern take, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s 2016 work, Línea Recta, demonstrates the complex footwork and intricate hand and body gestures custom to Flamenco while incorporating an element conspicuously absent from the traditional portrayal of this genre: partnering. While maintaining the integrity and hallmark passion of Flamenco, Lopez Ochoa imagines an original and explosive movement language premised upon the theme of partnership and performed to flamenco guitar by Eric Vaarzon Morel. 

The event will also include live interviews with Earl Mosley and Kristin Sudeikis, followed by video performances from: Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, New York City Ballet, The Orsano Project, Kristin Sudeikis Dance, Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Centers Youth Ensemble, Urban Dance League, Maria Torres Dance Company, Brooklyn Dance Festival Company with Ailey Professional Division Students.

About Brooklyn Dance Festival
Now in its 8th year, Brooklyn Dance Festival is a celebration of dance and performance art for all Brooklynites. Providing services, opportunities, and outreach for professional, emerging, and youth dance makers as we highlight diverse and talented artists throughout the borough. We work diligently with fellow organizations and programs to provide concert, free and discounted immersive dance and performance experiences to all Brooklyn communities. In 2015, Brooklyn Borough President, Eric L. Adams, declared April 4th, Brooklyn Dance Festival Day.

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.