• Submitted by: Luis Manuel Mazorra
• Arts and Culture
• 09 / 25 / 2014

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Between September 14 and 18 was celebrated in Cuba the first International Dance Contest North Atlantic, which was attended by 75 competitors. The driving force of the event, Vladimir Malakhov, confessed that more than one interpretation made him feel excited.

In the words of the famous Ukrainian dancer, the high level of the dancers made it impossible to deliver a single award. Instead of a "Grand Vladimir Malakhov Award" granted two, and created four special laurels which, in his opinion, were insufficient to recognize the quality of all good dancers and plays in the contest, enjoyed a full house on Eddy Sunol of eastern city of Holguin.

Lisbeth Saad, playing Edith Piaf in "Non", choreographed Osnel Delgado and Carlos Carbonell with "Passenger rain" piece, choreographer Nelson Reyes, both of Cuba, were the top winners of the competition where participated dancers from other countries as Mexico, Venezuela and Uruguay.

The event was also warmly welcomed by the public, "I never imagined that the interest in the competition was so great and really found spectacular dancers and an audience that does not want to miss any details," said Malakhov, also saying that localities in the four competition days were oversold and was very difficult to break into the theater.

The good experience this year inspired Malakhov to include two new prizes for next year: an Audience Prize and another to the best company. The next event is dated for September 2015 "The event began as a dance contest and became a wonderful festival," commented the artist pleased to have created something beautiful in this little Island.

This dancer trained by the renowned Russian Bolshoi school was star of American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in the United States, and ran for 13 years the Opera Ballet in Berlin, Germany until months ago. He currently directs the Ballet of Tokyo, Japan.

In ABT, strengthen friendship with the Cuban José Manuel Carreño and in major festivals in the world has been able to strengthen ties of affection with other artists of the same land. Malakhov first performed in Cuba in the International Ballet Festival of Havana 2010, then decided to give art back. He fulfilled the promise in Holguin just a year ago.

At 46 years old, the dancer inspires younger with admirable flexibility and body control. In his view, initiatives like this provide an opportunity to Cuban dancers to create career in Cuba and after having danced in the most important theaters of the world he discovered that it is very important to have a home.

Source: Diario de Cuba