The Sarasota Ballet presents Ballet Hispánico as they hit the FSU Center for the Performing Arts stage from March 8th through the 11th with striking performances of Club Havana and New Sleep (Duet). Club Havana showcases 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.” New Sleep (Duet), Choreographed by William Forsythe, has been described as "exceptionally oddball and inventive, coherently organized, viscerally compelling dance movement based on balletic axioms." - Alan M Kriegsman, The Washington Post

Ballet Hispánico is the largest Latinx/Latine/Hispanic cultural organization in the United States and one of America’s Cultural Treasures. Ballet Hispánico brings communities together to celebrate the multifaceted Hispanic diasporas. Ballet Hispánico’s New York City headquarters provide the physical home and cultural heart for Latinx dance in the United States. It is a space that initiates new inclusive 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.

“The extraordinary act of a Latina immigrant embarking on a journey of access to the arts for a community … is a heroic example of artistic advocacy. When thinking of the years, the families, the students, the artists, and the administrators whose lives Ballet Hispánico changed, one cannot help but wonder in amazement at the power of such vision. It was this idea of service for a marginalized and silenced community that made Tina Ramirez’s founding of Ballet Hispánico unparalleled.”

– Eduardo Vilaro

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.