Ballet Hispanico: Carmen.maquia and Club Havana

Hailed as a “masterpiece” by the Chicago Sun-Times, CARMEN.maquia (2012) – like Bizet’s iconic opera about a passionate gypsy – is riveting from start to finish. The physically charged and sensual choreography fuses contemporary dance with nods to the Spanish paso doble and flamenco. With a visual concept inspired by Picasso’s black-and-white palette, and movement that is full of elaborate partnering, CARMEN.maquia is a bold and electrifying reimagining of this fiery and tragic tale. Club Havana (2000) is a portrait of the glamorous Havana of the 1950s during the heyday of Cuban music, dance and nightlife. The intoxicating rhythms of the conga, rumba, mambo, and cha-cha are brought to life by choreographer Pedro Ruiz, a native of Cuba, in this re-imagined nightclub filled with the exhilarating sounds, colors and ambience of that golden era.