Digital Program for Ballet Hispánico: Doña Perón

Northrop Presents
Ballet Hispánico: Doña Perón
Sat, Feb 25, 7:30 pm
Carlson Family Stage

Ballet Hispánico brings communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through innovative dance productions, transformative dance training, and community engagement.

Ballet Hispánico is the largest Latine/Latinx/Hispanic cultural organization in the United States and one of America’s Cultural Treasures. Ballet Hispánico’s three main programs, the Company, School of Dance, and Community Arts Partnerships, bring communities together to celebrate the multifaceted Latinx diasporas. Ballet Hispánico’s New York City headquarters provide the physical home and cultural heart for Latine dance in the United States. It is a space that initiates new cultural conversations and explores the intersectionality of Latine cultures. No matter their background or identity – Latine, Latinx, Hispanic – Ballet Hispánico welcomes and serves all, breaking stereotypes and celebrating the beauty and diversity of Hispanic cultures through dance.

Dance visionary and National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez founded Ballet Hispánico in 1970, at the height of the post-war civil rights movements. From its inception Ballet Hispánico focused on providing a haven for Black and Brown families seeking place and artistic sanctuary. By creating the space for Latine dance and dancers to flourish, Ballet Hispánico uplifted marginalized artists and youth, which combined with the training, cultural pride, and the power of representation, fueled the organization’s roots and trajectory. Eduardo Vilaro joined Ballet Hispánico as a Company dancer in 1985 and became the organization’s second Artistic Director in 2009 and CEO in 2015. Vilaro is building on Ramirez’s impact; expanding, and deepening the legacy of visualizing Latine cultures, and exposing the intersectionality and depth of diversity found in them.

Through its exemplary artistry, distinguished training program, and deep-rooted community engagement, Ballet Hispánico champions and amplifies Latinx voices in the field. For over fifty years Ballet Hispánico has provided a place of honor for the omitted, overlooked, and othered. As it looks to the future, Ballet Hispánico is pushing the culture forward on issues of dance and Hispanic creative expression.

Eduardo Vilaro joined Ballet Hispánico as Artistic Director in Aug 2009, becoming only the second person to head the company since it was founded in 1970. In 2015, Mr. Vilaro took on the additional role of Chief Executive Officer of Ballet Hispánico. He has been part of the Ballet Hispánico family since 1985 as a dancer and educator, after which he began a ten-year record of achievement as founder and Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago. Mr. Vilaro has infused Ballet Hispánico’s legacy with a bold and eclectic brand of contemporary dance that reflects America’s changing cultural landscape.

Born in Cuba and raised in New York from the age of six, he is a frequent speaker on the merits of cultural diversity and dance education. Mr. Vilaro’s own choreography is devoted to capturing the spiritual, sensual, and historical essence of Latino cultures. He created over 20 ballets for Luna Negra and has received commissions from the Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Grant Park Festival, the Lexington Ballet, and the Chicago Symphony. In 2001, he was a recipient of a Ruth Page Award for choreography, and in 2003, he was honored for his choreographic work at Panama’s II International Festival of Ballet.

Mr. Vilaro was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2016 and was awarded HOMBRE Magazine’s 2017 Arts & Culture Trailblazer of the Year. In 2019, Mr. Vilaro was the recipient of the West Side Spirit’s WESTY Award, was honored by WNET for his contributions to the arts, and most recently, was the recipient of the James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award. In 2022, Mr. Vilaro was included in Crain’s New York lists of Notable Hispanic Leaders and Notable LGBTQ Leaders; and was acknowledged as one of Forbes’ Kings of Culture, Legends of Business.

Johan Rivera is the Artistic Associate & Rehearsal Director at Ballet Hispánico. Rivera was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and began his dance training at the School for the Performing Arts, PR under the direction of Waldo Gonzalez. Rivera graduated Magna Cum Laude with his BFA from the New World School of the Arts/University of Florida in 2013. While there, he had the opportunity to perform the works of Robert Battle, Kyle Abraham, Peter London, Daniel Lewis, Merce Cunningham, and Doris Humphrey as well as simultaneously working with local dance companies in Miami, Florida. During his tenure with the Ballet Hispánico Company, Rivera had the pleasure of performing the ballets of choreographers such as Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Pedro Ruiz, and Eduardo Vilaro. In addition, he was a vital member of Ballet Hispánico’s Community Arts Partnerships team as a teaching artist while on tour and at home in NYC. Aspiring to further his knowledge and skills, Rivera ventured into the world of higher education. In 2016, he received a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership with high honors, an achievement he dearly treasures as the first member of his family to have this opportunity. Upon graduation, Rivera had the honor of mentoring and directing second company BHdos in the fall of 2016 before taking over as Rehearsal Director for Ballet Hispánico’s main Company. After four seasons as the Rehearsal Director, Rivera 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. Now, as the Artistic Associate & Rehearsal Director, Rivera supports the artistic curation for the company and the implementation of Ballet Hispánico’s core artistic programs created to expand the organization’s legacy of artistic access.

Fatima Andere is originally from Mexico. Andere moved to Miami, FL at an early age where she began her training with Artistic Dance Center under the direction of Elizabeth Nuevo and Lissette Lucas. She graduated from Florida State University in 2020 with a BFA in Dance. Andere has trained with Alonzo King Lines Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory of the Arts, BODYTRAFFIC, and Ballet Hispánico ChoreoLab. She joined Dance NOW! Miami for their 2021/22 season where she had the honor of performing works by José Limón, Isadora Duncan, and Daniel Lewis. This is Andere’s first season with Ballet Hispánico.

Chris Bloom is from Frederick County, VA where he began dancing at the Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts and the Vostrikov Academy of Ballet. Chris graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in 2012. He has performed with numerous companies such as Parsons Dance, Lydia Johnson, and the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company. Bloom joined Ballet Hispánico in 2013 and has originated roles in new works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edgar Zendejas, Miguel Mancillas, Fernando Melo, Michelle Manzanales, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, and Eduardo Vilaro. This is Bloom’s tenth season with Ballet Hispánico.

Leonardo Brito is from Saquarema, Brazil and started his training with Projeto Primeiro Passo, before training at Escola Estadual de Danca Maria Olenewa, Center of Art Nós da Dança, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Miami City Ballet School, and The Ailey School. Brito has performed with companies such as Mariinsky Ballet, Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, Emotions Physical Theater, Dance Theater of Florida, Alvin Ailey, and Ailey II. In 2016, Brito was awarded the III Brazilian Modern Dance Congress and he has performed works by Robert Battle, Jennifer Archibald, Jae Man Joo, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Amy Hall Garner, Melanie Futorian, Ray Mercer, and Bradley Shelver. He has also made appearances in Tommy Hilfiger Pride Campaign 2019, OUT Magazine May 2019 Issue, Hong Kong Dance Magazine Sep 2020 Issue, opening of Fantástico 2021 at Globo TV Channel and POSE FX Television series season 2. This is Brito’s fourth season with the Company.

Amir Baldwin (Apprentice) is from Trenton, NJ. He received his BFA in Dance with a minor in American Sign Language from Montclair State University in Spring of 2022. His dance training consists of an eclectic mix which includes Ballet, Modern, Horton, Jazz, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, and Capoeira. Baldwin has worked with choreographers such as Matthew Rushing, Clifton Brown, Frederick Earl Mosley, Helen Pickett, and Jessie Obremski. He has trained in educational facilities such as Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and E.M.I.A. Baldwin has also worked within the Bloc Talent Agency for Conscious Step, BET Awards, Ulta Beauty, and Google. This is Baldwin’s first season with Ballet Hispánico.

Antonio Cangiano was born in Naples, Italy. He began his dance training at age sixteen and was awarded scholarships from Ateneo Danza (Forli), Accademia Normanna (Naples), and the Martha Graham Dance School in New York City. Cangiano has danced for the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Dardo Galletto Dance, Acsi Ballet, and Graham 2. In 2014, he made his first appearance at the Italian International Dance Festival dancing in a homage to Luigi, the “master of jazz,” by Dianna Folio, and received the Festival’s Rising Star Award in 2017. In 2016, he was selected to dance at the Martha Graham Dance Company’s 90th Anniversary Season at New York City Center. This is Cangiano’s fifth season with Ballet Hispánico.

Ana Estrada was born in Hermosillo, Son, México where she started training with Gabriela Estrada. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a BFA in Dance and a BS in Marketing. She has trained in companies such as Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ballet Arizona, and Kegwin and Company. Estrada has performed with various dance companies and projects in Mexico and USA including NYC Opera, Nimbus Dance Works, Broadway Christmas Wonderland National Tour and Tania Perez Salas Cía. She has toured nationally and internationally and has also been a part of film and television projects such as Amazon Prime’s Ana, the series, and Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu’s new film: Bardo. This is Estrada’s first season with Ballet Hispánico.

Amanda del Valle was born and raised in Miami, Fl where she began her early training with Miami Youth Ballet under the direction of Marielena Mencia and Yanis Pikieris. She continued her training at the New World School of the Arts with Mary Lisa Burns as the Dean of Dance. She graduated in 2016 with training in classical ballet, Horton, Limón, and the Graham technique. Amanda then continued her studies at Point Park University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. There she had the honor of working with Jennifer Archibald, Jessica Lang, Robert Priore, Christopher Huggins, and Yin Yue. This is del Valle’s second season with Ballet Hispánico.

Alexander Haquia grew up in Morris County, NJ, and began his dance journey at the age of 15 under the direction of Ashley Hosbach and tutelage of choreographer Tracy Badini. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with Honors in Dance from the Fordham/Ailey BFA program with the Class of 2022. Haquia performed internationally at the Holland Dance Festival, as well as in Alvin Ailey’s ballet Memoria at New York City Center before joining Ballet Hispánico in 2021. He has worked with choreographers including Francesca Harper, Twyla Tharp, Matthew Rushing, Pedro Ruiz, Ray Mercer, and Yusha Marie Sorzano. This is Haquia’s second season with Ballet Hispánico.

Paulo Hernandez-Farella is a first-generation Salvadoran-American from Los Angeles, CA. Hernandez-Farella attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and later received a full scholarship at the University of Southern California where they graduated with both a BFA in Dance and a Master’s in Public Administration. Hernandez-Farella has been a scholarship student for a multitude of dance programs such as the Juilliard School Summer Intensive, the Joffrey Ballet’s International Intensive, and Alonzo King LINES Intensive. Hernandez-Farella is also one of seven 2016-2017 dance scholars with Nigel Lythgoe’s Dizzy Feet Foundation. During their career Hernandez-Farella performed the works of Forsythe, Kylián, Duato, Balanchine, Graham, Taylor, Petipa, and Lopez- Ochoa to name a few and choreographed their own original work. This is Hernandez-Farella’s fifth season with Ballet Hispánico.

Cori Lewis was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. Her dance training began at Lusher Charter School and The New Orleans Ballet Association. She received her BFA in Dance with a Minor in Mathematics/Computer Science from SUNY Purchase College in May 2020. Lewis has performed works by choreographers such as José Limón, George Balanchine, Eduardo Vilaro, Ronald K. Brown, Dwight Rhoden, Martha Graham, and David Parsons. She performed for children across the greater New York area with BHdos for the 2018 season. This is Lewis’ second season with Ballet Hispánico.

Dylan Dias McIntyre was born in Key West and raised in West Palm Beach, FL. McIntyre started dancing at Palm Beach Ballet Center when he was 8 years old. When he was 16, he moved to Tampa to be a trainee with Next Generation Ballet. After 2 years he joined Richmond Ballet to complete his training and then started his professional career with Richmond Ballet's second company. In 2019, McIntyre became a company dancer with Ballet Memphis where he danced for three seasons, and he participated in a season with Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance in the summer of 2022. This is McIntyre’s first season with Ballet Hispánico.

Hugo Pizano Orozco was born in Guanajuato, Mexico and moved to New Mexico at an early age where he began his training with NDI-NM. He attended the New Mexico School for the Arts under the direction of Garrett Anderson. Pizano Orozco graduated with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School in 2022. During his time at Juilliard, he had the pleasure of learning repertoire by Forsythe, Balanchine, Ratmansky, Taylor, Cunningham, Kylian, and Donald McKayle. Additionally, he has been a part of new creations by Marcus Jarrell Willis, Jamar Roberts, Bobbi Jene Smith, and Ohad Naharin. This is Pizano Orozco’s second season with Ballet Hispánico.

Omar Rivera is a Mexican-American originally from Los Angeles, CA. After moving to Dallas, Texas, Rivera trained at Prodigy Dance & Performing Arts Centre under the direction of Camille Billelo. He graduated from the prestigious Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts. Rivera graduated with a BFA in Dance from the University of Arizona in 2018. While at the University of Arizona, Rivera performed at The Joyce Theater for the José Limón International Dance Festival, and danced works by guest artists including Christopher Wheeldon, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Bella Lewitzky, and others. This is Rivera’s fifth season with Ballet Hispánico.

Isabel Robles was born in Arlington, VA and began training in ballet at age 4. At the Classical Ballet Theatre she trained in the styles of ballet, jazz, Horton, Graham, character dance, and contemporary forms. Robles was a scholarship student at The Houston Ballet program in 2013 where she performed works of Stanton Welsh, George Balanchine, David Lichine, and John Neumeier. During high school, she attended the Washington Ballet, where she worked with Julie Kent and Xiomara Reyes and performed with the company in The Nutcracker. In May 2022 Robles graduated from James Madison University with a B.A. in Dance. This is Robles’ first season with Ballet Hispánico.

Gabrielle Sprauve was born in Queens, NY and raised in Savannah, GA. She trained at the Academy of Dance and Savannah Arts Academy while also attending the Ailey School and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance summer programs. Sprauve earned her BFA at Marymount Manhattan College, graduating in 2017. She has had the pleasure of performing with dance companies such as PARA.MAR Dance Theatre and Traverse City Dance Project. Sprauve joined Ballet Hispánico in 2017, where she has performed works by choreographers such as Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Michelle Manzanales, Bennyroyce Royon, Eduardo Vilaro, Andrea Miller, Edwaard Liang, and Gustavo Ramirez Sansano. This is Sprauve’s sixth season with Ballet Hispánico.

Dandara Veiga is originally from Brazil where she began her dance training at Projeto Social Primeiros Passos before training as a scholarship student at Escola de danca Ballerina. She also studied at Studio Margarita Fernandez in Argentina, Opus Ballet in Italy, and Annarella Academia de Ballet e Danca in Portugal. Veiga continued her training as a scholarship student at The Ailey School in 2016/2017. She has participated in dance festivals around the world and received scholarships from San Francisco Ballet and Ballet West. She has performed for the Vibe Competition, Assamblé International, Harlem Arts Festival, and the Ailey Spirit Gala. She has had the opportunity to work with artists Charla Gen, Robert Battle, Caridad Martinez, Claudia Zaccari, Jean Emille, Ray Mercer, Raul Candal, and Melanie Futorian. This is Veiga’s sixth season with Ballet Hispánico.

Isabella Vergara (Apprentice) is a multifaceted Mexican-American dancer from Westfield, NJ. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in Dance from Mason Gross School of The Arts at Rutgers University in 2018. In 2019, she joined Calpulli Mexican Dance Company where she started training in baile folklórico. Throughout her career, Vergara has been a freelance dancer in the greater New York area, working with companies such as Dzul Dance and Oca Dance. Vergara has been a part of the Ballet Hispánico community since 2018. She attended ChoreoLaB under the Nuestro Futuro Scholarship in 2018 and 2022. She then joined the School of Dance as a faculty member and completed the Pa’lante Scholars Professional Studies Program as part of the inaugural cohort in 2021-2022. This is Vergara’s first season with Ballet Hispánico.

Mariano Zamora is a Costa Rican artist residing in New York City. He began his training at Jazzgoba Dance Academy and later continued at CityDance School & Conservatory in Washington, DC. He accepted a scholarship to pursue a BFA in Dance from the University of Southern California under the direction of Jodie Gates. Zamora also acquired a minor in Architecture to combine his visual and kinesthetic talents with functionality of form and space. He is eager to explore various platforms, on concert stages, commercially, and through media entertainment, as his artistic career takes off. This is Zamora’s second season with Ballet Hispánico.