Music and ballet together to honor Havana and Alicia Alonso

The renowned musician Jesus 'Chucho' Valdes and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba (BNC) today premiere a video clip, which pays tribute to this capital on its 500th anniversary and to Alicia Alonso, who died the day before.

The audiovisual, directed by Jonal Cosculluela and Maritza Ceballos, was launched this Thursday on the television program Mesa Redonda and officially launched on the YouTube platform.

'Yesterday Cuban culture lost the most important figure of the Alicia Alonso ballet, her legacy will be forever, part of that is reflected in this video clip that was made for the 500 years of Havana and serves as a tribute to her memory,' highlights the description of the material.

The music, composed by Valdes especially for the occasion, is combined in the clip with the mastery of the first dancer Viengsay Valdes, deputy artistic director of the BNC, as well as the first figures of the company Anette Delgado, Sadaise Arencibia, Grettel Morejon, soloists and corps de ballet of the ensemble.

Sponsored by the Cuban company Cinesoft, the video features the photography of Gabriel Davalos, national and international award winner for his specialized work in dance.

According to a statement issued by the company, the aesthetic concept of the project combines the classic with the modern, as well as the mixture of styles that distinguishes the city as a seal of identity in its architecture, sounds and movements.

The video moves through several emblematic points of the Cuban capital, such as the Malecon, the Paseo del Prado, the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso, the Packard Hotel, Boulevard de San Rafael and the Plaza de la Revolucion, among other places in the city.

Valdes is one of the most influential figures of modern jazz, with an organic and personal style, which distills elements of Afro-Cuban musical tradition, classical, rock, among others, nationally and internationally recognized and his music and mastery has reached stages around the world.