(KPL/Prensa Latina)  The 28th Alicia Alonso Havana International Ballet Festival will present a gala on Thursday honoring the 10th Congress of the National Association of Cuban Writers and Artists (UNEAC).

The performance, which will take place at the Mart Theater in this capital, will open with “Sulkary,” a classic piece of Cuban modern dance, choreographed by Eduardo Rivero, and music inspired by folkloric themes and performed by a new generation of the Danza Contemporanea de Cuba company.

“Sulkary” was created by Rivero in 1971 when that company was directed by Maestro Ramiro Guerra, the father of Cuban modern dance. It has not lost whit of actuality or sensuality.

French dancers Verity Jacobsen and Antoine Dubois will perform the romantic duet from Le Parc, choreography by Angelin Preljocaj on Mozart’s music, while Chinese dancer Tzu Chao Chou, representing the Birmingham Royal Ballet of the United Kingdom, will demonstrate his technique in the piece “Liebestod” by Russian choreographer Valery Panov.

Next on the program will be Delibes Suite, by Mathilde Froustey and Riku Ota of the Ballet de l’Opera National de Bordeaux, in France, as well as “Double Bounce” by Canadian choreographer Peter Quanz, performed by Viengsay Valdes and Dani Hernandez, first dancers of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba (BNC).

The audience will also enjoy a duet from “Espartaco” (Spartacus), with choreography by Russian Yuri Grigorovich and performance by Rachele Buriassi and Esnel Ramos, from Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

At the end of the gala, the Conjunto Folclorico Nacional de Cuba (Cuban National Folkloric Company-CFNC) will perform an excerpt from “Comunidad,” with choreography by Leivan Garcia.

The 28th Alicia Alonso Havana International Ballet Festival brings together dancers from more than 15 nations to offer a wide range of the world’s most diverse dance styles.

KPL