The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project Returns To Cleveland

The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project returns to Cleveland with Cuban dance legend, Laura Alonso. Verb Ballets and Pro Danza continue their international collaboration with a month-long cultural exchange in Cleveland. Alonso will travel to Cleveland to reunite with the dancers of Verb Ballets for the third year of cultural exchange.

This project blossomed in 2016 when Alonso came to Verb Ballets to train the dancers in the Cuban ballet method for two months through the Cleveland Foundation's Creative Fusion: Cuba Edition. The company directors Dr. Margaret Carlson and Laura Alonso then came together to join the companies for a one of a kind artistic exchange of Cuban and American repertory. Last season this groundbreaking partnership toured Cuba for two weeks with performances at The Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana and the El Teatro Nacional by the combined companies. Laura Alonso, daughter of world-famous ballerina Alicia Alonso, is known as teacher, coach and an expert at staging the classics. Ms. Alonso had a 25-year performing career with Ballet Nacional de Cuba. As an award-winning teacher and coach, she travels the world teaching and staging the classics. Ms. Alonso has served as an international coach, jury member and teacher at the Jackson International Ballet Competition, the Concours Internationale de Dance de Paris, France, the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Competition and other competitions. Alonso founded the international dance school, Centro Pro Danza and directs the professional company Pro Danza. Northeast Ohio has three opportunities to witness the cultural exchange:

Friday, March 8, 2019 at Noon - Live @ Noon with Laura Alonso

Tickets $15 / Verb Ballets Center for Dance 3558 Lee Rd. Shaker Heights OH 44122Verb Ballets opens the doors to the studio to watch as Laura Alonso sets Cuban ballets on the dancers. Learn about the Cuban ballet method and why it is so unique.

Friday, March 15, 2019 at 7PM - The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project

Tickets $45 / Verb Ballets Center for Dance 3558 Lee Rd. Shaker Heights OH 44122Be the first to see the presentation of the new Cuban ballets set by Laura Alonso. This unique opportunity will provide an intimate studio performance of premières follow by a reception with Laura Alonso.

Sunday, March 17, 2019 at 2PM - The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project

Tickets $10 / Akron-Summit County Library Auditorium 60 S. High St. Akron, OH 44326Verb Ballets presents an Akron performance featuring works from Pro Danza repertory.

Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at verbballets.org. Box office handling fees apply.

The Cleveland Havana Ballet Project is made possible through the support of the Cleveland Foundation. The unique collaboration was highlighted by Pointe Magazine. Verb Ballets has gained a reputation for artistic excellence and exemplary community engagement. The company is honored to work on this project with Laura Alonso to bring the best of Cuban dance and American repertory to new audiences.