Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba Returns to the U.S. and the New Victory with New York Premiere of All-New Production November 13-29

(October 28, 2015) Ninety miles south of Miami there is an island, a bit smaller—and warmer— than the state of Pennsylvania that produces some of the most explosive fusions of dance—flamenco, ballet, cha-cha-cha, Afro-Cuban and folk—melded into something wholly its own. The island is Cuba, celebrated for its irrepressible passion for dancing and music, and the home of Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, the 24-member company of dancers and musicians responsible for creating the singular potpourri of dance forms in CUBA VIBRA!, which takes over the New Victory stage November 13-29. So thrilling is their music and dancing that seat belts may be in order at the New Vic!

Embracing over five decades of the island’s music and dance, CUBA VIBRA! is comprised of a choreographically connected series of vignettes that speak of celebration, love, flirtations, romance, brief disappointments, all with good humor and compelling energy, as well as a suite of dances that call upon the virtuosity and soul of the performers. The dancers, trained in classical ballet and folkloric traditions, command the stage with the octane energy of a rocket and precision of the Rockettes.

The recipient of The National Culture Order, Canada’s Dora Mayor Moore Award for Best Choreography of a Musical (VIDA!) in 2008, Lizt Alfonso was also awarded the First Choreography Prize by the Cuban Artists and Writers Association in both 2006 and 2008, and the Cuban Artist Foundation of New York Award in 2001.

Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba has performed in major theaters on five continents including The Chicago Theatre, the Place des Arts in Montreal, the Isaac Theatre Royal of New Zealand, the Cairo Opera House in Egypt, the Teatre Apolo de Barcelona, The Thalia Theater in Hamburg, The South African State Theatre, the Luxor Theater in Rotterdam, the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto and the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. LADC has also performed in New York City at such festivals as Fall for Dance at New York City Center and Central Park Summerstage, as well as Works and Process at the Guggenheim Museum. The Company has been seen at the Vail International Dance Festival, Spring of Culture in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Fiestas del Pitic in Mexico.

Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba (LADC) was founded in Havana by Lizt Alfonso in 1991. Her commitment to arts education for young people is told in the company’s Dance Academy, which includes children’s ballet, youth ballet, various summer workshops and choreographic competitions. As a result of her work with children, Lizt Alfonso became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She led the “25 leaders, 25 voices for children” campaign organized by UNICEF for the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Performance Schedule: 15 performances

CUBA VIBRA! has an approximate running time of 95 minutes, including one intermission, and is recommended for everyone ages 6 and up.

Learn more about Cuba Vibra! at the New Victory website!

General Ticket Information

Tickets for CUBA VIBRA! at The New Victory Theater (209 West 42nd Street) are $10, $13, $18 or $25 for Members based on seat locations, with full price tickets starting at $15. Theatergoers who buy tickets for three or more NEW VICTORY shows qualify for free Membership, with benefits including up to 35-percent savings on tickets all season long, invitations to special events and unlimited free ticket exchanges. Purchase tickets online or by phone at 646-223-3010.

The NEW VICTORY box office (209 West 42nd Street) is open Sunday and Monday from 11am-5pm and Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm-7pm. For more information, visit the NEW VICTORY website.

About Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba

In 2003, Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba became the first Cuban dance company to present an entire season of performances in the United States, including a highly successful run at The New Victory Theater. Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba is highly regarded for its acclaimed piece titled Fuerza y Compás, which is considered a choreographic highlight of the company’s illustrious career.

Lizt Alfonso is the recipient of The National Culture Order, Canada’s Dora Mayor Moore Award for Best Choreography of a Musical in 2008, the First Choreography Prize by the Cuban Artists and Writers Association in both 2006 and 2008, and the Cuban Artist Foundation of New York Award in 2001.

About The New Victory Theater

This year, the New Victory celebrates its 20th Anniversary season of bringing kids to the arts and the arts to kids as New York City’s premier theater devoted to the highest quality performing arts for kids and families. Serving the community in all its diversity, The New Victory Theater on 42nd Street presents theater, dance, circus, opera and music from around the world at affordable ticket prices. In addition to its public performances, the New Vic is also the largest provider of live performance to NYC school kids, serving 40,000 youth through more than 200 schools, after school programs and day camps each year. The New Victory has been recognized for its contributions to the cultural landscape of the city. Awards include a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award presented by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities for the NEW VICTORY Usher Corps, which provides paid employment to approximately 50 NYC teens each year, the National Arts Education Award from Americans for the Arts and a Special Award from The Drama Desk for “providing enchanting, sophisticated children’s theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people.”