Cuba and South Africa celebrate cooperation in ballet
12 July 2019
Cuba and South Africa celebrate cooperation in the field of ballet and the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations
On July 4, the Embassy of Cuba and the Director of the International Ballet Competition of South Africa, Dirk Badenhorst celebrated a Cultural Gala with the performance of Cuban and young South African dancers training in the Badenhorst ballet teaching project, which uses Cuban Ballet methodology.
The show took place at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg and was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Cuba and South Africa cooperation, particularly in Ballet, and to the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.
SEE ALSO: SA-Cuban Ballet Partnership celebrates five years of cultural exchange
In his welcome remarks, Badenhorst recognized the Cuban Ballet institutions and the Cuban professors, María de los ÁngelesTorguet and AyrenVillalón, who have shared their expertise on classical ballet with South African teachers in the Training Teachers and students in the Townships project in the townships of Johannesburg and surrounds; with the aim to ensure that good ballet training becomes accessible to all South Africans.
SEE ALSO: Ballet feeds the soul - Celebrating Cuba-SA relations
Rebeca Hernández, representative of the Embassy of Cuba, in her remarks emphasised the significant bonds of friendship between Cuba and South Africa and thanked South Africa for its support, especially in its support for Cuba in the rejection of the growing aggression of the United States government.
Mr Vusumusi Mkhize, Director-General at the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) thanked Cuba for its cooperation in teaching Ballet in South Africa and said that this will be an area in the cultural cooperation that will have the support of the DAC to continue expanding.