Carlos Acosta Announces Dance Show
World-renowned dancer Carlos Acosta announced the full program and guest dancers for his upcoming show "Myths and Modern Masters." The production promises a blend of classic and contemporary works with high-profile guest artists, while ODC/Dance presents "Dance Downtown" March 5-8 at San Francisco's Blue Shield Theater.
A cultural ambassador for Cuba, Carlos Acosta rose from poverty as the 11th child in a Havana family to become a global ballet icon. His father, a truck driver, enrolled him in the Cuban National Ballet School to instill discipline and secure him a free lunch. This path led him to win the prestigious Prix de Lausanne in 1990, launching an international career. Acosta became the English National Ballet's youngest-ever principal dancer at 18 before joining London's Royal Ballet in 1998, where he remained a permanent member until 2015. His powerful athleticism and grace drew comparisons to legends like Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev. In January 2020, Acosta was appointed Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, where he has championed works reflecting the city's culture, including "Black Sabbath - The Ballet." The "Myths and Modern Masters" program is deeply personal, featuring works that celebrate his journey and influences. For the first time, Acosta will perform José Limón's "The Moor's Pavane," a piece famously danced by Nureyev. The show also includes a "Nutcracker in Havana Suite," infusing the classic with Cuban cultural and Latin influences. The evening's lineup continues with a virtuosic pas de deux from "Diana and Actaeon," rooted in mythology, performed by guest dancers Katherine Ochoa and Yasiel Hodelin Bello. Acosta himself will partner with Acosta Danza principal Amisaday Naara for "Nosotros," a piece by Raúl Reinoso and Beatriz García accompanied by live piano and cello. In 2016, Acosta founded his own Cuban dance company, Acosta Danza, to blend classical and contemporary dance with Cuban elements. Dancers from this vibrant company will join him on stage for the show's finale, Christopher Bruce's "Rooster," an iconic work set to the music of The Rolling Stones. Beyond his own performances, Acosta is dedicated to nurturing future talent. Through his Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation, he opened a dance academy in Havana in 2017, providing free, world-class training to young dancers, offering them the same opportunities that transformed his own life.
