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| Acosta Danza | |
|---|---|
| Name | Acosta Danza |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | Carlos Acosta |
| Genre | Contemporary ballet |
| Location | Havana, Cuba |
Acosta Danza is a contemporary ballet company based in Havana, Cuba, founded and directed by celebrated Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta. The company synthesizes classical ballet, contemporary dance, and Afro-Cuban movement, collaborating with international choreographers, institutions, and artists from cities such as London, Paris, New York City, Madrid, and Tokyo. Its activities intersect with major cultural organizations including the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, National Ballet of Cuba, and festivals like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and La Biennale di Venezia.
Acosta Danza was established in 2015 following Carlos Acosta's retirement from performing with companies such as the Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, and the Houston Ballet. Early seasons featured premieres at venues including the Teatro Nacional de Cuba, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center, and the Teatro Real. The company engaged with choreographers from repertory institutions such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, and collaborators associated with the Paris Opera Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Bayerisches Staatsballett, and New York City Ballet. Tours and productions involved partnerships with cultural ministries of Cuba, ministries from Spain, and cultural exchanges with the British Council and Institut Français.
Under the artistic direction of Carlos Acosta, the company balances narrative and abstract works, commissioning pieces from choreographers linked to the Royal Ballet school of Monica Mason, the modern repertory of William Forsythe, the neoclassical lineage of Jerome Robbins, and the contemporary idioms of Ohad Naharin and Crystal Pite. Repertoire includes new works by guest choreographers who have worked for institutions such as New York City Ballet, Batsheva Dance Company, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the Australian Ballet. The company has staged pieces with musical collaborations referencing composers and ensembles like Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Arvo Pärt, Gustavo Dudamel, Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, and soloists from the Royal Opera House. Productions have been presented at international festivals including the Festival de Cannes (artistic events), Festival d'Avignon, Festival Internacional Cervantino, and regional stages such as the Gran Teatro de La Habana.
Principal dancers and company artists have included performers trained at institutions such as the National Ballet School of Cuba, the Royal Ballet School, the Kirov Academy of Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and the École de Danse de Paris. Guest artists and collaborators have come from companies like the Mariinsky Theatre, Mikhailovsky Theatre, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet Nacional Sodre, and contemporary collectives like Koresh Dance Company. Musical collaborators have included conductors associated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, and soloists linked to conservatories such as the Juilliard School, Royal College of Music, and Conservatoire de Paris. Designers and visual artists have been drawn from galleries and institutions including the Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, and the Museum of Modern Art.
Acosta Danza has toured extensively across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa, performing in capitals such as London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Berlin, Milan, New York City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Bogotá, Santiago, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Hanoi, Havana, Lisbon, Athens, and Istanbul. Residencies and co-productions have been hosted by institutions like Sadler's Wells, Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center, Teatro Colón, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Teatro di San Carlo, and cultural centers supported by the British Council, Institut Cervantes, and Embajada de España en Cuba.
The company and its founder have received accolades connected to organizations such as the Laurence Olivier Awards, National Dance Awards (UK), Benois de la Danse, Dance Magazine Awards, and recognition from cultural bodies including the British Council, UNESCO, and the Cuban Ministry of Culture. Carlos Acosta has individually been honored with awards tied to the Royal Ballet, the Order of the British Empire, and national honors in Cuba and Spain, while the company’s productions have garnered critical acclaim in media outlets like The Guardian, The New York Times, Le Monde, El País, and Der Spiegel.
Educational initiatives have linked Acosta Danza to academic and training institutions such as the National Ballet School of Cuba, the Royal Ballet School, the Juilliard School, the Codarts University for the Arts, and outreach programs in partnership with cultural organizations including the British Council, Institut Français, UNESCO, UNICEF, and local cultural houses in Havana and provincial centers. Workshops, masterclasses, and youth engagement projects have been developed alongside festivals like the Festival Internacional de Ballet de La Habana, Bienal de La Habana, and community platforms involving orchestras, museums, and conservatories such as the Havana Conservatory of Music and regional theaters.
Category:Dance companies