TOPIC OF THE WEEK

Vida
The history of an entire nation

by Damián Donéstevez
Photos by Cylla Van Tiedemann

A fusion of flamenco, ballet, contemporary dance and, above all, Cuban popular rhythms and songs is delighting musical and dance lovers as the Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba Company stages Vida at Havana’s Mella Theater. Throughout January and early February, the dance company is presenting the story of Vida, a woman full of courage, love and loss, who decides to give her granddaughter her legacy -- the story of her life. Hers is the story of an entire nation, which has loved, suffered and struggled for life. Together, Vida and her granddaughter, Alma, revive the decades-long and life-enriching memories of the former. That journey is carefully and lovingly watched and guided by a Guardian Angel.

Artistically directed by company director Lizt Alfonso and Canada’s Kelly Robinson, the show stars renowned Cuban singers, Omara Portuondo, better known as the Diva of the Buena Vista Social Club, and Ele Valdéz, the leading voice of the outstanding Cuban rock band Síntesis, plus the performance of guest dancers such as Vadim Larramendi from the Cuban TV Ballet and Obdebbí García from the National Folk Ensemble in the role of Vida’s boyfriend.

The show Vida is divided into two acts, has live and recorded music on stage and features versions of emblematic tunes from the island’s music heritage, including pieces by Gonzalo Roig, Benny Moré, Silvio Rodríguez and other composers, choreographies previously staged in other company shows such as Wings, Strength and Rhythm and Elements, though in a different context, and new choreographic pieces and music.

It's worth mentioning the charismatic performance of Maysabel Pintado in her part as the Guardian Angel, full of plasticity, enigma and carefully choreographed and performed movements. The company’s work with children is always welcomed in the ensemble’s shows and plays but this time it is superb, the girl who plays the part of Alma and appears in the show almost all the time performs and dances like a professional adult performer and dancer.

Vida also has a new ending for the Cuban audience with a new music piece composed and orchestrated by renowned Cuban composer and musician X Alfonzo, who has also shot and directed a very inspiring video clip based on the show already running on Cuban TV and surely a hit in coming months.

The show is produced by the Canadian company Mirvish Productions Inc. and Peter Sever and successfully participated at the Luminato Festival in Toronto few months ago, reason for which it was successfully staged at the renowned Royal Alexandra Theater of Toronto, one of North America’s oldest and more classical theaters.

The story of Vida

In a beautiful Old Havana setting, with colonial buildings, Vida’s story starts in the 1930’s and ends up at present. At a joyous birthday party to honor the special, brave granddaughter and teacher, her steps are closely followed by her granddaughter Alma and her neighbors and friends; all of a sudden everything vanishes and she has a vision. Back in time, she is again an innocent little girl and an adolescent discovering her spiritual world, a young woman full of love, and a woman who becomes a teacher and struggles for live.

At the age of ten, she enjoys disguising with her friends in Spanish ladies’ and Cuban women’s costumes. Full of innocence, Vida discovers the spiritual world through the two cultures that flow through her veins, the Spanish and the African. When Vida grows in an atmosphere of joy, parties and very good popular dancing, her charisma and beauty is stunning, drawing the attention of a young man and she discovers love.

Following the years, Vida rebels against the power which is oppressing her people and becomes a community leader, who everybody follows and, together, they fight the oppressor. Her lover is arrested. After that, the country is in conflict and the courageous woman struggles on her own for survival in the midst of very turbulent times. When the conflict is over, Vida passionately involves in the construction of a new nation. Her man is released from jail and invites her to leave the country, she refuses.

The nation needs the effort of all citizens in factories, in the countryside, in schools to build the new country, a situation which Vida passionately embraces and becomes the leader of a group of women. Later, Vida is already tired; but, still strong and active, she decides to become a teacher.

At the end, Vida feels that her Angel is coming to pick her up and hands her granddaughter a gift: a cane that sums up and symbolizes her entire live, her struggles, her joy and finally her happiness.

Helped and guided by the Guardian Angel, her granddaughter Alma starts to learn how to perpetuate Vida’s legacy and continues her own way inspired and protected by her beloved granddaughter.

Success in Canada

While it was a hit at the Royal Alexandra Theater of Toronto few months ago, the show Vida received both critics’ and audiences’ acclaim. Canadian critics such as Susan Walter of the Toronto Star wrote: "Stunning! One of the best chorus lines this side of Broadway!" and Michael Crabb from CBC said: “A radiant expression of the true Cuban spirit in soulful song and exuberant dance”.

Vida was chosen by the newspaper The Globe and Mail as one of the five best dance shows staged in Canada in 2007, calling it “enchanting” and describing the Lizt Alfonso female dancers as “gorgeous” and its music as “joyous jazz-Afro-Latin score”. The piece was selected more precisely the third best dance show, following a masterpiece such as Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces by the National Ballet of Canada and the play Edward Scissorhands.

Musicals have always been part of the island’s cultural heritage, and lately we haven’t seen many in Cuba, we’d better say we’ve watched none; however, Vida has timely come to fill a space that had long been empty. Long live Vida, long live Cuba!