Thirty-one ballerinas from the National Dance Company will bring the story of Snow White to life, much like the kiss of her prince did, when they perform “Blancanieves” Aug. 6, 7, 13 and 14 in the Teatro de las Artes at the National Center for the Arts (Cenart) in the Coyoacán borough of Mexico City.
Choreographer Irina Marcano spoke about her work during a press conference Monday at Cenart with other people involved in the production.
She said children are very perceptive and it is important to expose them to art early on.
“When you expose a child to a performance that captures the child’s attention, you create an interest in art,” she said in a prepared statement. “As an artist, one ought to create a connection with the public and the best connection you can have is with a child. Our goal is to bring the child closer to ballet.”
The performances by the National Dance Company of the National Institute of the Fine Arts will mark the world debut of Marcano’s “Blancanieves,” a contemporary ballet with modern dance language. The work is based on the classic fairy tale by the Grimm brothers and the well-known film version of the story by Walt Disney, brought to life with dance and music.
The show is part of Cenart’s cycle “La opera es puro cuento … y el ballet también” (The Opera is a Story … and so is Ballet). Cenart offers entertaining performances for children and young people each year as part of that series.
The work blends classic ballet steps with movements based on contemporary, improvised lines and technics.
“It is the first children’s work I have done and it interested me because I believe very much that it connects with the inner child,” Marcano stated in a press release.
Music for the show will include performances of scores by such classical composers as Bach, Dukas, Grieg, Mussorgsky, Ponchielli and Rossini. An ensemble of 16 musicians under the direction of José Luis Castillo will perform the works.
Stagecraft will be by José Ballina, costumes by Sara Salomón and lighting by Xóchitl González.
Marcano stated that the work has been challenging for her and her dancers.
“The fact that it is for children requires us to search inside ourselves … It has been a mutual learning experience,” she said. “It is the first time I have been faced with a children’s audience and, I believe, it is a demanding audience because it is a very perceptive one.”
Dancer Michele Cutrí, who will portray Snow White, and dancer Mónica Barragán, who has the role of the wicked stepmother, appeared at the press conference in costumes and posed for photographs. Cutrí said most people are familiar with her character and that it has been very easy to work with Marcano.
Channel 23 will air a broadcast via streaming Aug. 14 at noon that will be accessible through www.cenart.gob.mx. In addition, the public will be able to view that performance for free on a gigantic screen at the Plaza Ángela Peralta outside of the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
“Blancanieves” will be performed August 6, 7, 13 and 14 from noon to 2 p.m. at Cenart’s Teatro de las Artes. Tickets will be 40 pesos for children and 80 pesos for adults.
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