The Cuban National Ballet Company –BNC-, directed by ballet legend, Alicia Alonso, began a three month tour of Spain, Italy and France set to wind up in July.

The Cuban ballet ensemble will return to stages where audiences have enjoyed its performances before and dance on new theaters, such as Pleyel in Paris. BNC is touring Madrid, Andalucía, Barcelona and cities in the Basque Country, while in Italy, the famous Cuban company is scheduled to perform in Torino and Ravena. The Cuban versions of classics such as The Nutcracker, Giselle and Don Quixote are included on the renowned troupe’s presentations with which they have received both critics and audiences acclaim worldwide in previous tours.

BNC and Alonso obtained the Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris Award for its performance of Giselle at the Fourth International Dance Festival held at Les Champs Ellisée Theater in 1966.

The company is also dancing the show The Magic of Dance that compiles excerpts of 19th century ballet hits, while in France a mixed bill of classical and contemporary pas de deux is included in its program. The main roles are performed by premier dancers Viengsay Valdés, Sadaise Arencibia, Anette Delgado, Grettel Morejón and Dani Hernández; first soloist Rafael Quenedit; soloists Patricio Revé Raúl Abreu and Ariel Martínez; principal Ginett Moncho and choriphee Claudia García, supported by its famous corps de ballet.

In Paris the Cuban company will be joined by Cuban dancers Joel Carreño and Yolanda Correa, current stars with the Norwegian National Ballet; Cuba’s Osiel Gouneau, principal with the Munich Ballet in Germany, and Acosta Danza company dancer Luis Valle.