XIII International Ballet Festival of Miami/08

[cubanmiamiboy]

Here’s the Calendar of Events of the XIII International Ballet Festival of Miami/08, according to the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami’s 2008 Season Closing Playbill.

Thanks, Pedro Pablo! :blush:

XIII International Ballet Festival of Miami/08

Founder and Artistic Director: Pedro Pablo Pena

August 29-September 14.

Miami/Coral Gables/West Palm Beach/Miami Beach

Calendar of Events:

Saturday September 6.

International Young Medal Winners

Manuel Artime Theater, Miami.

Sunday September 7.

Contemporary Ballet Gala

Colony Theater, Miami Beach

Friday September 12.

Classical/Neoclassical Ballet Gala.

Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, West Palm Beach.

Saturday September 13.

Etoile’s Classical Grand Gala.

Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Miami

Sunday September 14.

Festival Closing.

The Fillmore Theater, Miami Beach

[bart]

Thanks, Cristian, for the Heads Up. I remember the huge success of their first performance up in West Palm several years ago, so I'm reserving the date. Unfortunately, the seconed year was a disaster -- a three-hour program played to a house that could not have been more than 1/4 full. Last year was better, but not up to the first year.

We've talked about this before over the past few years, and I still hope that they will get it together to market this event more effectively in West Palm and give some thought to producing a well-paced show as well as to putting dancers on stage. Perhaps a new publicist for West Palm? A real stage director? Someone with a watch to keep an eye on time?

It would be nice, also, if they could make another deal with Ballet Florida to perform, as they did two years ago. At that time, they added drama and scale. (I know there were some bad feelings at the time. BF was put on first and did not stick around for the final curtain call -- 3 hours later!). Better placement on the bill for this company -- plus a resonable agreement to do the final curtain -- would greatly enhance the program and also the Festival's appeal in West Palm) After reports of BF's financial proablems, there seems to be renewed support and expanded plans for next year. Also, with dancers like Yumelia Garcia, Fernando Moraga, Marife Gimenez, and Lorena Jimenez, there's definitely a Latin connection that hs turned out large audiences before. Why not play it up again? As for rep, Ballet Florida might reprise last season's Allegro Brilllante, with Marife Gimenez and her husband Douglas Gawriluk. Both were MCB principals before coming to BF. Allegro is always an audience pleaser, and BF can do it at the standard of most of the other people appearing in the Festival.

Bringing a star or two up from Miami might not hurt. The full house for the first performance was definitely related to the publicity for Rasta Thomas's appearance. In the past two years, however, the dancers with the biggest reputations have been reserved exclusively for Miami.

Here's hoping! :blush: