Camagüey Folkloric Ballet (BFC): prophets in our own land
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- Local
- Arts and Culture
- Camagüey
- Culture and Traditions
- Dance
- 12 / 11 / 2007
Camaguey Folkloric Ballet BFC has been fortunate during the last months. Proud of being from Camagüey, presented a great repertory in many countries such as: Spain, Egypt, and Portugal that lasted eight months. This is the sixteenth tour of the company, but they keep on working on the project Solar Son, a Spanish co-production, with music, theater plays and choreography included to be presented at the beginning of 2008.
The company is ready to present Olorum from December 14th to 17th. Composed by 55 members: 42 artists, technical and administrative staffs respectively. One of BFCs dreams is to call people attention one more time during the biennial party. Reynaldo Echemendía, director, gave us the chance to get closer to the company.
"We have achieved higher artistic levels, spite of not having yet our own place.
We practice at Alkázar theater and we have to keep our belongings everywhere else, what does not help the companys work, without disabling its professional and technical development.
"We seek standing at a higher level regarding companys achievements. Few years ago we arranged short and middle sized pieces, but now we present great shows, and people also expect that we soon open an academy where folklore could be taught, but it only would happen from the moment when we have our own place on".
" Not leaving behind our popular roots, street people register at art schools to take courses, although they do not come from dance centers.
"Graduates from dance centers teach the technical language, but street people are needed to develop this kind of work, none company can be supported only by academic people.
"We present popular shows previously organized throughout this combination, which top task is to perform on stage while people admire the spontaneity that characterize our everyday work"
" What did you think off during the extensive tour?
"Thinking how it would be if we were in Camagüey, kept us anxious, suddenly it came to our minds our daily work at the province, the long working hours, without lunch, or dressing rooms but really determined to work on it , convinced that it was fruitless at all.
Artists from Camagüey always think off their homeland wherever they are. Our practices in here have been unbeatable, we have made accustom the audience to it since a long time ago, and culture has touched us deep inside. Maybe few years ago people were elitist taking into consideration how they appreciate our work, but undoubtedly it made us work hardly. If expectations are filled up, something difficult to achieve, everything goes easily, and fortunately we have been prophets in our own land regarding this aspect".
In accordance to the biennial Olorum ,he added: This is our festival and we have to thank the Council of Scenic Arts of the province for giving us the chance to celebrate in here, between December 13th and 23rd".
Olorum what means "sun" in Yoruba, will shine and come to life throughout meetings prepared by folkloric groups such as: Afrocuba (Matanzas), Oché (Villa Clara), Onilé (Las Tunas), Okokán (Holguín), the folkloric group of Cienfuegos and Rumbatá, Desandan, Maraguán, Arlequín, Guatoco, Andarte, Sangre Gitana, Caidije and Bonito Patuá, besides two others composed by Latin American students. As special guests will perform Camagüey Ballet and Endedans, all of them at Teatro Principal, Tasende theater, the City Preservation Office (OHCC), and at Triana and El Carmen squares.
Among the guests who have been invited to theorist events and master classes are: Eduardo Rivero, Silvina Fabart, Natalia Bolívar and doctor Luis Alvarez, while a conference on Yoruba culture will take place at Academy "Vicentina de la Torre"
"If you had to decide upon your professional career, would you be a dancer or a musician over again?
"Firstly Id be a musician, since it is a complex and comprising kind of art, a very sensitive one... to me this is the base for dancing, although it is said that dance will never do without music, but this, from my own point of view, is pantomime: however, if I had a second chance I will study much more about dance.
The audience from Camagüey loves their Folkloric Ballet, they congratulate it, people know where they are, and Echemendía asserts about it "This is the best thing that has happened to us here, where we were born, and where we are loved the most".
(Adelante.cu)
The company is ready to present Olorum from December 14th to 17th. Composed by 55 members: 42 artists, technical and administrative staffs respectively. One of BFCs dreams is to call people attention one more time during the biennial party. Reynaldo Echemendía, director, gave us the chance to get closer to the company.
"We have achieved higher artistic levels, spite of not having yet our own place.
We practice at Alkázar theater and we have to keep our belongings everywhere else, what does not help the companys work, without disabling its professional and technical development.
"We seek standing at a higher level regarding companys achievements. Few years ago we arranged short and middle sized pieces, but now we present great shows, and people also expect that we soon open an academy where folklore could be taught, but it only would happen from the moment when we have our own place on".
" Not leaving behind our popular roots, street people register at art schools to take courses, although they do not come from dance centers.
"Graduates from dance centers teach the technical language, but street people are needed to develop this kind of work, none company can be supported only by academic people.
"We present popular shows previously organized throughout this combination, which top task is to perform on stage while people admire the spontaneity that characterize our everyday work"
" What did you think off during the extensive tour?
"Thinking how it would be if we were in Camagüey, kept us anxious, suddenly it came to our minds our daily work at the province, the long working hours, without lunch, or dressing rooms but really determined to work on it , convinced that it was fruitless at all.
Artists from Camagüey always think off their homeland wherever they are. Our practices in here have been unbeatable, we have made accustom the audience to it since a long time ago, and culture has touched us deep inside. Maybe few years ago people were elitist taking into consideration how they appreciate our work, but undoubtedly it made us work hardly. If expectations are filled up, something difficult to achieve, everything goes easily, and fortunately we have been prophets in our own land regarding this aspect".
In accordance to the biennial Olorum ,he added: This is our festival and we have to thank the Council of Scenic Arts of the province for giving us the chance to celebrate in here, between December 13th and 23rd".
Olorum what means "sun" in Yoruba, will shine and come to life throughout meetings prepared by folkloric groups such as: Afrocuba (Matanzas), Oché (Villa Clara), Onilé (Las Tunas), Okokán (Holguín), the folkloric group of Cienfuegos and Rumbatá, Desandan, Maraguán, Arlequín, Guatoco, Andarte, Sangre Gitana, Caidije and Bonito Patuá, besides two others composed by Latin American students. As special guests will perform Camagüey Ballet and Endedans, all of them at Teatro Principal, Tasende theater, the City Preservation Office (OHCC), and at Triana and El Carmen squares.
Among the guests who have been invited to theorist events and master classes are: Eduardo Rivero, Silvina Fabart, Natalia Bolívar and doctor Luis Alvarez, while a conference on Yoruba culture will take place at Academy "Vicentina de la Torre"
"If you had to decide upon your professional career, would you be a dancer or a musician over again?
"Firstly Id be a musician, since it is a complex and comprising kind of art, a very sensitive one... to me this is the base for dancing, although it is said that dance will never do without music, but this, from my own point of view, is pantomime: however, if I had a second chance I will study much more about dance.
The audience from Camagüey loves their Folkloric Ballet, they congratulate it, people know where they are, and Echemendía asserts about it "This is the best thing that has happened to us here, where we were born, and where we are loved the most".
(Adelante.cu)
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