Under the artistic direction of Eriberto Jiménez, CCBM will present Giselle on Friday, February 9, and Saturday, February 10, at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium.
The first thing Jiménez says during an interview at the Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center (MHCAC) is that this year, he asked himself, "Why not dare to do a complete Giselle again? We have already put together the second act we presented twice."
Then, he shared with us that while he was in Panama for auditions and talking about his intentions, María Eugenia Herrera, principal dancer and director of the Youth Ballet Company (YBC) of Panama, told him, "I have the production. I could collaborate," and immediately, they started working on the idea. "We are going to use Panama's production for the first act and ours for the second," says Jiménez.
When asked whose choreography will be used, he says, "I'm doing my version, respecting the style of the original staging but making some changes to give more coherence to the plot. As always, the dances will be adjusted to the group of dancers I will have."
On this occasion, it will be members of YBC, CCBM, and the Sanctuary of the Arts Choreographic Ensemble of Rafael Maldonado and Alice Arja.
"To alternate in the role of Giselle with Maria Eugenia, we will have Gretel Batista from the Houston Ballet. Mayrel Martínez of Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami will be Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis. Jorge Oscar Sánchez of the Washington Ballet will perform the role of Albrecht."
And, giving us the most unique, good news at the end, Jiménez says: "Alihaydée Carreño will be Berthe, Giselle's mother."
Carreño — now fully dedicated to teaching — was the protagonist of the unforgettable Giselle presented at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach in February 2007 by CCBM, founded by Pedro Pablo Peña just a year before. She'll make her return to the stage this weekend in a vital role, but one that is more acting than dancing.
"I always told myself, 'If I'm not a dancer, I'm going to be an actress,'" she says without hesitation. "When Eriberto called me to ask me if I would like to be Giselle's mother in these two performances, I answered, 'I would love to.' I haven't danced in over ten years, so returning to the stage is very exciting," says Carreño.
Talking with Carreño about the creation of the character turns out to be quite the experience, discovering "her" answers to questions like, "How old is Giselle's mother? Why is the bodice of Giselle's costume different from the other dancers? Where is Giselle's father?"
Nowadays, the achievement of a character with a solid biography in ballet has become a rarity, but never when its performer is the outstanding female link in the Carreño lineage of the National Ballet of Cuba.
"It all starts with Lázaro Carreño, although there were three brothers," she says at her home in Miami. "My grandmother, who lived in Santa Clara, saw in the newspaper that they were looking for boys to audition and thought it could be a good thing to get three of the seven children she had on scholarships and studies. One of them, my uncle Pepe, did not want to be a dancer. But my uncle Lazaro and my father, Álvaro Carreño, did."
Carreño's mother, the charming Haydée Delgado, who was also a dancer with the National Ballet of Cuba, intervenes occasionally in our conversation. After Lázaro and Álvaro come, in chronological order, José Manuel Carreño, Alihaydée and Joel Carreño. José Manuel and Joel are the children of Caridad, sister of Lázaro and Álvaro, who was not a dancer.
"I must tell you I have a 7-year-old little brother on my father's side, Alvarito. Look at him there. (She points out a photo on a small table in the living room.) He loves ballet, and I think he could be a tremendous dancer. He is going to do what my daughters were never interested in doing." She momentarily thinks about it, smiles, and enthusiastically proclaims, "Giselle's mother has a 7-year-old brother who is also her two daughters' uncle."
Not 24 hours had passed, and Jiménez sent a message saying Herrera was in Miami.
Back at MHCAC, when Herrera is told that Carreño is going to play her mother, she tenderly exclaims, "My God, what an honor!" and she proudly tells us about how Amparo Brito, another great Cuban dancer, was her coach for ten years until 2014 when she retired due to health problems.
Gretel Batista of the Houston Ballet will alternate in the role of Giselle in the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami's production of Giselle.
Photo by Simon Soong
"It is Panama's version to the world of the most private and familiar part of Margot's life," she says. "I did not have the joy of seeing her dance, but I grew up in the National Dance School that she helped found. When she died on February 21, 1991, all the members of the National Ballet went to her funeral, where I felt like I was saying goodbye to someone very close. Knowing her story more thoroughly for the film, she inspired and still inspires me so much."
Regarding Giselle, she explains, "It is a role that has left a very important mark on my life. I danced it when I was young, and I danced it as an adult. Feelings change. They are never the same. I thought I would never dance it again, but Eriberto invited me, and it's like starting over, so I'm enjoying it. I am very grateful because it is a great opportunity."
She reveals that "everything has happened without much planning. Right now, I dance and have fun. Of course, I do everything with a lot of love. I admire and respect the Miami audience; I hope that everyone likes my work and that they enjoy it."
– Orlando Taquechel, ArtburstMiami.com
Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami's Giselle. 8 p.m., Friday, February 9, and Saturday, February 10, at Miami-Dade County Auditorium, 2001 W. Flagler St., Miami; cubanclassicalballetofmiami.org. Tickets cost $35 to $65 via ticketmaster.com.
