Did You Know? A Glance at Ballet Hispánico: Doña Perón

February 21, 2023
A group of dancers wearing black with their back to the audience face a dancer twice as tall as them wearing a long white dress holding a glowing yellow circle with a star design in the middle.

Check out these featured facts before the Ballet Hispánico: Doña Perón performance on Sat, Feb 25, 7:30 pm on the Carlson Family Stage

Top image credit: Doña Perón, Ballet Hispánico. Photo by Christopher Ash.

Eva Peron

The Rise and Fall of a Diva

One of the most controversial women in Argentine history, Eva “Evita” Perón began her life with almost nothing and rose through the ranks as an actress, an entrepreneur, a First Lady, and a politician. As an activist, Perón voiced the needs for her people unapologetically—becoming one of the world’s most infamous icons.

A dancer stands with her arms raised wearing a long white dress that is flared out to create a dome shape.

Doña Perón, Ballet Hispánico. Photo by Paula Lobo.

The Clothes Behind the Woman

“Honing in on Evita’s obsession with couture fashion” is part of Mark Eric's glorious vision for the costume design for Doña Perón which boasts over 80 costumes. A graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology, Eric has costumed works for several dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theater, and BalletX.

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

“She’s difficult to pinpoint”

Doña Perón is the first full-length piece that  world-renowned choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa has choreographed for Ballet Hispánico. Northrop audiences may recognize Ochoa’s work from Dance Theatre of Harlem’s performance of Balamouk in Jan 2022. “[Eva Perón’s] not a fairytale character, she's not a literary character. She's a real woman,” says Ochoa, “and for me, it's interesting to put her on stage because she's difficult to pinpoint.”

A Musical Magician

“I think people will be moved by the whole experience of the ballet,” says composer Peter Salem who created a dramatic original score for Doña Perón to be performed live by bandoneón, piano, percussion, cello, and violin. “Peter Salem is a magician,” notes choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, “He offers such beautiful melodies.” Salem’s next full-length ballet is based on the life of Coco Chanel for Hong Kong National Ballet.

A dancer in a yellow dress strikes a one-legged pose with her remaining arms and legs extended. Other male dancers are in a similar pose behind her.

A Cultural Beacon

Founded in 1970 by Dance visionary and National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez in New York, Ballet Hispánico has made it their mission to bring communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures—providing a haven for Black and Brown families seeking place and artistic sanctuary. Ballet Hispánico is the largest Latinx/Latine/Hispanic cultural organization in the United States.