Mérida and Cuba twinned through circus is the proposal to be presented by the company Ilaii in conjunction with their colleagues from the island as part of the Mérida Fest. The show Espiral: Circo Joven de Cuba will premiere this January 11 at 8:30 p.m. -at the Remate de Montejo- as part of the Mérida Fest. Malena Durán will be in charge of the music.
This project, said Karen Bernal, a member of Ilaii, was born out of the initiative of two institutions: the Centro Nacional de Escuelas de Arte de Cuba and the Cultural Department of the Mérida City Hall.
It was the result of a visit to Cuba by the Director of Culture, Irvin Berlín Villafaña, who found the work of young artists at a very advanced level. Upon his return, he proposed to the Ilaii company to support and “make these talents shine”.
“This through costumes, artistic feedback and choreography,” the artist explained.
Armando Pérez, who is also a member of the project, commented that Espiral will seek to foster an encounter between cultures.
“People will see many symbolisms of things known in Mérida, emblematic of their culture; and it turns out that they are also emblematic of Cuban culture. They are basic elements that relate them and make them unite,” he explained.
Likewise, he continued, the show will have an African part, from the third root: “This black part that both Cuba and Mérida have”.
It will be, he said, a show with a wide range of circus acts and live music, both from Cuba and Mérida. By way of example, he said, there will be Julián López, Luis Dinaldi and Malena Durán.
“There will be a combination of traditional Cuban music with original compositions by maestro Dinaldi, as well as other surprises consisting of recognizable classics from Yucatán,” said Karen Bernal.
As for circus disciplines, Armando Pérez commented that there will be hoop, ball, balancing, pulsating, juggling and an endless number of variations that those who attend Espiral will be able to enjoy. There will also be dance.
To achieve the interweaving of both cultures, they had the support of Yucatecan actress Ilse Morfín, who served as creative advisor for the project: “She is steeped in the culture of both Cuba and Mérida,” they agreed.
In order to put on the show, the performers spent a week on the island to meet the artists and receive “a crash course” on the emblematic areas of Havana. Today, the artists from there are in the Yucatan capital.
“The show is very generous, technically it has a very good level; humanly it has been our focus for cultural exchange. The circus generates brotherhood, it is a place of coexistence by nature of the arts and nationalities,” concluded Karen Bernal.
Espiral: Circo Joven de Cuba will premiere this January 11 at 8:30 p.m. at the Remate de Paseo de Montejo. It will also have performances on January 12 and 13 at 8:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively. The show will be free of charge.
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