Ballet Hispánico at the Irvine Barclay Theatre for One Night Only

On Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 8pm The Irvine Barclay Theatre will present the irresistible Ballet Hispánico, a company is celebrating fifty years of artistic excellent and advocacy for diversity and equality in the arts.  After years of touring nationally and internationally, and cultivating the company, its school and community partnerships, Ballet Hispánico has become the largest Latinx cultural organization in the United States and considered one of America’s Cultural Treasures. Tickets are on sale now.

Founded in 1970 by Tina Ramirez, Ballet Hispánico is led by Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, Associate Artistic Director Johan Rivera, and Rehearsal Director Linda Celeste Sims. Before taking on his current position in 2009,

Eduardo Vilaro – Photo by Rachel Neville

was a Ballet Hispánico dancer and educator for 8 years (1988-1996) followed by his earning a master’s in interdisciplinary arts at Columbia College Chicago and a working as Founder and Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago for ten years. Vilaro is only the second artistic director in Ballet Hispánico’s history.

Johan Rivera was a member of Ballet Hispánico and director of the company’s second company BHdos. He went on to become Rehearsal Director for the main company and after four years transitioned to Ballet Hispánico’s marketing department as the Digital Marketing Manager, playing a key role in the development and creation of the organization’s virtual programming.  Rivera is now acting as the company’s Associate Artistic Director.

Ballet Hispánico in Anabelle Lopez Ochoa’s “In Tiburones” – Photo by Paula Lobo

Linda Celeste Sims began her training at Ballet Hispánico School of Dance. She took over the role of Rehearsal Director for Ballet Hispánico following an acclaimed 24-year career at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (1996-2020). Sims has received the 2016 Inspiración Award from Ballet Hispánico, has won Outstanding Performance at the 2014 New York Dance and Performance Awards (“The Bessies”) and most recently, she received the 2017 Dance Magazine Award.

Ballet Hispánico’s Shelby Colona, Dandara Veiga, and Lenai Wilkerson in Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s “18+1” – Photo by Christopher Duggan

Ballet Hispánico’s program at the Irvine Barclay Theatre includes Vicente Nebrada’s Arabesque, an elegant suite of dances set to the music of Spanish composer Enrique Granados; Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s In Tiburones that addresses the discrimination and stereotypes placed upon Latinx culture; and Gustavo Ramirez Sansano’s 18+1, a display of subtle humor and electric choreography, the movement merges with the playful rhythms found in Pérez Prado’s mambo music.

To read the full program

Do not miss this opportunity to see American’s most exciting companies, Ballet Hispánico at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on November 11, 2021 at 8pm (PT).

“Spirited cadre of terrific dancers…Irresistible…full-hearted” – The New York Times

# # # #

To purchase tickets, click HERE.

To learn more about Ballet Hispánico, please visit their WEBSITE.

To learn more about the Irvine Barclay Theatre, please visit their WEBSITE.