Ballet Hispánico returns to New York City Center from June 1-3, 2023. The Company will present a mixed bill curated by Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro featuring repertory favorites, two new commissions and an exciting new addition to the repertory.

The Miranda Family

Ballet Hispánico uplifts and serves as a platform for Latin voices and artists. It will take the City Center stage with a program of incredible dance, beginning with an opening night performance and Gala paying tribute to The Miranda Family.
Performances include the signature work Club Havana, Pedro Ruiz‘s homage to his Cuban home-land; a riveting duet from New Sleep (Duet) by master choreographer William Forsythe, presented in tribute to Ballet Hispánico’s founder Tina Ramirez (1929 – 2022); and two new works: Sor Juana by Michelle Manzanales; and Omar Román De Jesús’ first work for the Company, Papagayos.
Tickets start at $35 and are available at nycitycenter.org/pdps/2022-2023/ballet-hispanico.

Following the opening night performance on June 1, a gala dinner will take place at the Plaza Hotel. Celebrate Ballet Hispánico’s transformative legacy, robust future, and commitment to artistic advocacy as the organization honors The Miranda Family with the Nuestra Inspiración award, to be presented by Sergio Trujillo.

Ana Navarro, co-host of “The View” 

The festivities continue with a presentation of the award during a seated dinner at The Plaza Hotel, with guest host Ana Navarro, co-host of The View, and featuring the music of Grammy Award winner Oscar Hernandez and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and performances by students from the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance. Gala table and ticket purchases include ticketing for the June 1 Gala Performance at City Center. If you are interested in attending the gala visit https://www.ballethispanico.org/support/events/2023-gala.

Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispanico

“We are thrilled to return to New York City Center with an extraordinary program featuring some of today’s most visionary Latinx choreographers, offering tribute to the legacy of Tina Ramirez’s mission and the inspirational Miranda Family,” said  Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO, Ballet Hispánico

Sor Juana – World Premiere
In this new work, Mexican American choreographer, Michelle Manzanales, explores the life and legacy of the iconic 17th-century Mexican feminist, poet, scholar, and nun, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Centuries after her death, Sor Juana’s story and integral voice in the feminist movement continue to inspire the world. This piece provides a glimpse into her life and connects us to the ongoing advocacy for women’s rights, and the rights of all who fight to live freely and safely as their authentic selves.

Papagayos – World Premiere
Papagayos follows a mischievous character who puppeteers humanity while simultaneously scoffing at the peoples’ plight. Feverishly, the Papagayo dissolves everyday agency in a solvent of absurdity. Checks and balances mutate, seemingly at random. This is a shapeshifting story – a tale of power, influence, and identity in the face of unauthorized control.

New Sleep

New Sleep (Duet) (excerpt)
William Forsythe’s New Sleep (Duet) (1987) — a neoclassical master work scored by composer Thom Willems – demonstrates Forsythe’s ability to deconstruct classical vocabulary and maintain a strict precision without confining the physical expression within the movement. His work was long admired by Ballet Hispánico founder Tina Ramirez who, for many years, sought an opportunity for the Company to present one of his pieces. In honor of Tina, two members of the Company will perform an excerpt from New Sleep (Duet) at each performance. This production of New Sleep (Duet) was made possible by the generous contributions of Gaily and John Beinecke, and Dhuanne and Douglas Tansill.

Club Havana

Club Havana (2000)
One of the company’s signature works, this is Latin dancing at its best. The intoxicating rhythms of the conga, rumba, mambo, and cha cha are brought to life by choreographer Pedro Ruiz, himself a native of Cuba, as he imagined his very own “Club Havana.”

Ballet Hispanico