and The Carolina Theatre co-present Ballet Folklórico Cutumba

Artistic Director and Musician Idalberto Bandera Sidó

Dancers Juan Carlos Cabrera Borrero Argelis Carlos García Rámirez Adrián Limonta Álvarez Laima Mártinez Coello Yordanka Michel Almenarez Alexis Parada Mineto María De Los Angeles Ríos Arrate Rachel Acacia Salas Vega

Singers Rafael Cisneros Lescay Yunia Eni Cisneros Rodriguez Yamil Derribal Mengana

Musicians Rolando Gómez Vinent Ramón Márquez Domingez Diango Sánchez Cobas

Director of Production: David Ferri Production Stage Manager: Sarah Jordan Lighting Design: Sarah Jordan Festival Sound Engineer: Connor Adams Light Board Operator: Yolette Yellow-Duke Sound Board Operator: Dayita Nereyeth Deck Crew: Gabriel Esparza, Rachelle Conley Wardrobe: Anna Mcdunn, Sam Getka Translations: Gabriel Esparza

Wednesday, July 15 at 8:00pm Thursday, July 16 at 8:00pm The Carolina Theatre Performance: 90 minutes including intermission

Roots and Cuban Tradition Procesión "King's Party" (1990) Reflects the fundamental activity of town council of the Yoruba in the epiphany's day. Here you can see skillful dances, songs and music with the significant deities- Eleggua, Oggun, Ochün, Changö, Yemayä, Obbatalä, and Oyä. Choreography: Roberto David Linares Author: D.R. Genre: Folkloric

Meringue Pao Pao (2008) Song to Changö within the voodoo culture. Author: D.R. Fix by the interpreter Rafael Cisnero Director: Idalberto Bandera Genre: Haitian Meringue

Warriors And Handmaidens (2004) Dambalá Wedö, the main important god, shows his ability using the techinque with the war and hunter by means of the dance voodoo. Choreography: Idalberto Bandera Author: Idalberto Bandera Director: Idalberto Bandera Genre: Folkloric

Intermission

Meringue Maelé (2013) It is a choreographic fresh Afro-Haitian. Choreography: Maura Isacc Direction: Idalberto Bandera Genre: Folkloric

Ochun Didé (1975) It is a song dedicated to a baby, invocating the deity oshun. Author: D.R.

Cicle Of Rumba (1961) Stamp of guaguancö, yambü and Columbia styles, the most authentical ways öf dance in . Choreography: Roberto David Linares Author: D.R. Genre: Popular

Rhythmical Cutarero (1977) Two rhythmical sonorities. They dialogue with feet and drums. Choreography: Roberto David Linares Author: D.R. Genre: Folkoric

Calling The Drums It is the dialogue established with the musicians and the drums in which the audience is involved. Author: Ramón Márquez Director: Idalberto Bandera

Clasical Tahona (1974) It is the wave of unwave of a ribbon in a high stick with two teams blue and red with an endeblish and fast rythm. Choreography: Roberto David Linares Author: D.R Director: Idalberto Bandera Genre: Folkloric The Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke and the Duke Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

Company History Ballet Folklórico Cutumba is undoubtedly the most vibrant and spectacular of the national Cuban folkloric companies. Based in in the tropical eastern seaboard of the island, Cutumba performs energetic and athletic Afro- Cuban folkloric and sensuous Cuban traditional dance, music, and song ranging from African gagá to traditional Cuban son. Since its founding in 1960, Cutumba has been dedicated to the research and professional performance of authentic Afro-Cuban dance, music, and song originating in the Oriente region of Cuba. Throughout its extensive repertoire, Cutumba has faithfully recreated the key elements at the heart of the Afro-Cuban identity and has added its own fresh interpretation in terms of stunning theatricality and costume design. It is due to the authenticity of their performances in historic and social terms that Cutumba has earned its well-deserved reputation as the premier folkloric company of Cuba. For over thirty years, Ballet Folklórico Cutumba has been researching, collecting, conserving, revitalizing, and presenting the folkloric manifestations of Afro- Franco-Haitian-Cuban origin found primarily in Cuba’s eastern (Oriente) provinces. The entire ensemble includes 48 musicians and dancers. Their vast repertoire includes the Afro-Cuban manifestations brought to the island by Africans of Congo/Bantu and Yoruba traditions, as well as the strong influences of the Afro-Haitian migration to this part of Cuba. The ensemble’s choreographies include gagá, vodún, santería, merengue-haitiano, , rumba, son, merengue haitiano, and tumba francesa. As stellar proponents of these traditions, Cutumba has been invited on several international tours throughout Europe, the Caribbean, and South America. Their rigorous artistic quality, authentic representation, and dynamic expression have been merited on numerous occasions, including a medal at the Festival Internacional FITEL of Portugal in 1992, El Premio Nacional de la Mariposa in 1994, and the Medalla de la Popularidad in the Festival Internacional de Teatro (FIT) in Cádiz, Spain in 1995. The authenticity of Cutumba’s performances is the key to their success, giving them a stellar reputation that has allowed them to tour internationally to Suriname, Mexico, Jamaica, Curaçao, Nicaragua, Martinique, Guadeloupe, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, New Zealand, Canada, and Venezuela. Cutumba has performed and lead workshops in a variety of venues, including theaters, community centers, offices, schools, and on television. Artistic Director: Idalberto Bandera Sidó Afro-Cuban artist: dancer ● professor ● choreographer ● percussionist Idalberto Bandera Sidó, native of Santiago de Cuba, began his artistic career with the Conjunto Folklórico del Oriente in 1976. The multi-talented Bandera is recognized today as the principal soloist dancer with the Ballet Folklórico Cutumba. This internationally renowned company diffuses Afro-Cuban folkloric traditions and specializes in the music and dance of the eastern, Oriente provinces. Bandera’s virtuosity has gained him recognition in dancing rumba (guaguancó, columbia), dances of the Yoruba, Arará, Carabalí, and Congo legacies in Cuban culture, and of the Oriente traditions such as the son, cutara (chancleta), conga as well as the French-Haitian cultural influences of gagá, tumba francesa, Haitian merengue, and vodún. Bandera has also contributed to Cutumba as a choreographer, researcher, percussionist, director, and professor, giving master dance classes to the company, community aficionados, as well as to the international participants of Cutumba’s biannual dance and music workshops. He is a sought after master dance professor in his own country, as well as in Europe and North America. A talented musician as well, he plays percussion in various Cutumba productions and on Cutumba’s recordings. In 1985, Jorge Lefebre, celebrated choreographer of the Royal Ballet of Wallonia, Belgium, spotted Bandera as a featured dancer in a Cutumba production and invited him to be the lead male dancer in his ballet ERZILI, a piece combining classical ballet with folkloric tradition. Bandera received national and international accolades for his dynamic interpretation in this visionary piece. Bandera has been invited to serve on various juries for local, municipal, and provincial festivals. He has shared his knowledge and served the cultural community by giving lectures and demonstrations on Afro Cuban folklore and dance, by cooperating with La Casa del Caribe’s cultural activities, by serving as an active member of the UNEAC (Union de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba), and as president of Artes Escénicas (cooperative of performing groups) of Santiago de Cuba. Bandera is an artist that is respected for the creativity, strength, and expression of his interpretations, as well as for his dedication to the investigation and the diffusion of the cultural traditions of his country.