Ballet Hispánico has long been considered the nation’s renowned Latino dance organization and one of America’s Cultural Treasures. The company was founded in 1970 in New York City by National Medal of Arts recipient, Tina Ramírez, during the civil-rights era and provided a safe haven for primarily Black and Brown Latinx youth seeking artistic sanctuary during the city’s troubles in the 1970s.

Ballet Hispánico is now calling for Applications from emerging Latinx choreographers and filmmakers for 2021 Instituto Coreográfico. Now in its ninth year, Instituto Coreográfico is designed to give voice and provide access to young Latinx artist to be able to create dances that reflect their cultural identity within a safe and supportive environment, and to present their choreography to a wider range of audiences. The Deadline to apply is March 1, 2021 at 5 PM EST.

50 years ago, Latinx artists were all but invisible to the dance scene. It has always been the goal of Ballet Hispánico to alter that narrative and now, “generations of Latinx artists have produced art that reinterpret their heritage, bringing fresh perspectives on the Latinx experience”. That is why Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro launched Instituto Coreográfico in 2010. He has created a choreographic institute for Latinx artists to create culturally specific work in a nurturing learning laboratory of dance, paired with an emerging filmmaker to document each choreographer’s process, create promotional materials, and add a layer of artistic collaboration.

“As a dancer back in the 80s, I could count on my hand the number of Latinx choreographers that would come through the door,” said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO. “Instituto Coreográfico is a way of nourishing, mentoring, and developing leaders and artists of color, in particular Latinas and Latinos.”

Through informal showings and panel discussions, Instituto Coreográfico encourages audience members, dance leaders, presenters and choreographers not only to view the works of these emerging dance and film artists, but to enter into dialogue about their crafts and. It is an invaluable platform created by Ballet Hispánico.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Spring Instituto Coreográfico will have a combination of virtual and in person components. Ballet Hispánico will be selecting one choreographer and one filmmaker who reside in the United States for this year’s Instituto Coreográfico. Ballet Hispánico is committed to keeping all artists safe during the pandemic, developing a “pod” approach and adhering to current health and safety protocols with dancers to enable the choreographer to work in studio, however the choreographer may also opt to do a virtual process. All applicants must be willing to follow physical distancing and our COVID-19 guidelines. A virtual showing will take place on June 10, 2021.” – Michelle Tabnick Public Relations/February 2, 2021

Instituto Coreográfico is open to applicants 18+ who identify as Latinx(a,o), Hispanic, Latin American, who have fewer than five years of professional experience, and who have availability from May 17-28, a minimum of five hours daily between 9am and 6pm ET.

For more information and to submit applications, Click HERE.  The deadline to apply is March 1, 2021 at 5pm EST.

To learn more about Ballet Hispánico, please visit the company’s website by clicking HERE.

By Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.

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