The Cuban National Folklore Ballet

The Cuban National Folklore Ballet and its history

The Cuban National Folklore Ballet was founded at the beginning of 1962. From its beginnings it intended to contribute to the rescue and rehabilitation of the roots of Cuban dance and music. This prestigious Cuban company, along more than 50 years of having been created, has developed a style of Theatrical Folkloric Art with a great scenic effectiveness and aesthetics. When in 1960, the Department of Folklore of the National Theater of Cuba – directed by Argeliers Leon – presents to the public Cuban diverse folkloric shows, the idea of forming a group of national character arose. This group had as main objective being able to fuse all the folkloric manifestations with the theatrical laws without altering its essence. The National Folkloric Group has taken charge, along its history, of selecting those forms of true artistic value and with the purpose of organizing them of agreement with the most modern theatrical demands.

The Cuban National Folklore Ballet and its General Characteristics

The Cuban National Folklore Ballet embraces all the manifestations of the Afro-Cuban folklore, among those stand out the congas and the popular dancing rhythms of the country. It is formed, fundamentally, with dancers graduated from the National School of Art (E.N.A by the Spanish acronyms). In total payroll are reflected about 35 specialists, among them dancers, profess and investigators. It has also professional percussion and wind musicians of, which offer shows with live music. In its repertoire we can find ““El Alafin de Oyo”, “Ciclos Arara”, “Palenque”, “Triptico oriental” and others. Among the fundamental activities that the Cuban National Folklore Ballet carries out are: didactic exhibitions, workshops, masterful classes and lectures. In turn, hosted by the company events are developed in Havana: the International Festivals FOLKUBA WINTER (January) and FOLKUBA SUMMER (Julio). This institution also summons every year to the Symposium-Workshop on “The Folkloric Fact”, event that possesses a theoretical character.

The Cuban National Folklore Ballet and its Main Tours and Prizes

The Cuban National Folklore Ballet has carried out numerous international tours in more than 80 countries. Diverse are the scenarios that have welcomed the most significant art of the company, in this sense stand out France, Belgium, Spain, Algeria, Hungary, Italy, Dominican Republic, Peru, Mexico, Jamaica, Barbados, United States, England, Yugoslavia, Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, Nicaragua, Belize, Ghana, Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Venezuela, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Brazil, Finland, China, Korea, Japan, Aruba, Guadalupe, Greece, among others. Likewise, it is necessary to stand out the numerous rewards obtained in diverse nations like the Barrel of Gold and the Necklace of Silver appear in the Festival of Dijon in France, the Temple of Gold of the Festival The Almond tree in Flower of Agrigento in Italy, the Tray of Silver of the Festival of Birmingham in Great Britain and lastly the Irsuta of Gold of the Festival of Dance of Arequipa in Peru.