Dance Consortium, the group of 17 large scale theatre venues located across the UK, recently announced its 40th UK Tour, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba’s UK Tour 2017. Last seen in the UK in 2012, Cuba’s vibrant flagship contemporary dance company will present a programme choreographed by some of today’s most sought-after choreographic names. The 2017 UK tour opens at Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham on 14 February and concludes at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury on 18 March.
For more than five decades, since the company was founded by Ramiro Guerra in 1959, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba’s dance blend of African-Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and influences from classical European ballet has evoked the Cuban spirit through vigorous and highly physical contemporary dance. Now under the directorship of Miguel Iglesias, the company will present three UK premieres during its UK tour- a mixed bill of recently created work by three top choreographers: Belgian-Colombian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa; the UK’s Theo Clinkard; and the Cuban George Céspedes.
The company was founded under the name of Conjunto de Danza Moderna, created from the National Theatre’s dance department. In 1962 it was renamed Conjunto Nacional de Danza Moderna, became Danza Nacional de Cuba in 1974 and Danza Contemporánea de Cuba in 1987. As Cuba’s flagship dance company, the most prominent figures of the Cuban dance scene have started their illustrious careers with it. The company’s unique style is rooted in the principles of Cuban modern dance technique, blended with a mix of black and white cultural heritage influenced by Cuba’s African and Spanish ancestors, African-Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and classical European ballet.
After Nottingham, the company will tour to Salford Quays, Newcastle, Cardiff, Plymouth, Brighton, Inverness, Edinburgh and Canterbury.