World Premiere of Habana Fénix by Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba
Emotion, nostalgia and optimism are the feelings that will come to the surface in the show Habana Fénix, the new story that Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba (LADC) will tell in its world premiere, which will begin on May 5th at the Teatro Martí in Havana.
For three weeks, until Sunday, May 21, it will be on the billboard, as announced at a press conference, with the presence of dancers, maîtres, musicians and all those who have participated in this beautiful work that was created in 2019, but that the Covid-19 pandemic stopped it for this period.
The city of Havana pays tribute to this show, which means rebirth every day as the mythological bird. It is also a great tribute to the figure of Eusebio Leal, because it all starts with a sentence he said: «I have seen it rise from the ashes, like the phoenix,» said Lizt Alfonso.
«That was our leitmotif throughout the staging, to weave this show full of miracles, turning points, and you will see something different,» said the renowned choreographer.
The leitmotif of the performance is the restorer-dancers, the builders of the Office of the City Historian, who day after day ensure that the dream is kept alive. In this way, images and scenes are created that range from the Spanish and African presence to the present day, always maintaining the fusion style of the company.
And what is peculiar is that several parallel worlds meet on stage, in different moments of the nation’s history, which makes the show, in the words of the founder of the dance company, «so Cuban that it becomes very international.»
The soundtrack of Habana Fénix is a selection of Cuban composers: Amadeo Roldán, Sindo Garay, Guido López-Gavilán, Gerardo Alfonso, Lucía Huergo and Roberto Valera.
Initially, the music was intended to be a story in the manner of a movie soundtrack. Maestro Edesio Alejandro created a series of incidental pieces to tell the story.
Another novelty of Habana Fénix is that, for the first time, the company is open to the participation of other choreographers, and not only will there be presentations by Lizt Alfonso, Yadira Hernández and Diana Fernández, regulars in LADC titles, but other creators such as Claudia Valdivia, Laura Abreu, Daira Jay and Yohara García will accompany the production with their stamp.
In the promotional videos -already released for the presentation- the costumes, very attractive, made by Rosa Díaz, Silvia Llanes and Claudia Arcia, stand out.
For the realization of the new show, the company was accompanied by the great Spanish photographer Héctor Garrido, the designer and audiovisual producer Raupa, and the visual artist Alicia de la Campa, who created the piece Fénix in a very special way.
From the ruins, where the dancers arrive, joy is made, hope is created and the future is sown: this is Habana Fénix.´
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez
