Ballet academies from 15 countries will gather in Havana from March 28th through April 11 at the 21st International Ballet Academies Encounter.

This year’s international ballet event will welcome students, teachers and dance experts from Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, France, Panama, Argentina, Costa Rica, the United States, Bolivia, Italy, Ecuador, and El Salvador. For two weeks participant will be taught different classes, including ballet, point, physical training, repertoire, choreographic composition, character dance, pas de deux and other subjects.

Dedicated to the centennial of the birth of the so called Father of Cuban Ballet, maestro Fernando Alonso, the encounter is set to include lectures and optional workshops on the physical training of dancers, dance reviewing, acting, makeup, choreography, contemporary dance, folklore, nutrition, Spanish dance and others. Students from participating academies will share the stage of the National Theater in seven galas whose main pieces will be a suite of the Act II of Swan Lake, a suite of La Bayadere and Graduation Ball.

Cuban National Ballet School Director, Ramona de Sáa, also reported that the 13th International Ballet Students Competition will run parallel to the encounter from April 7 through 11at the National and América Theaters. Presided over by de Sáa, the jury is made up of teachers and critics from Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, the United States and Cuba, including Cuban National Ballet Company prima ballerina, Viengsay Valdés.