Carlos Acosta, the most universal Cuban dancer, returns to the San Javier Fest with Tocororo, his first choreographic work, with his company Acosta Danza.

Dance opens the 52nd edition of San Javier Fest. Theatre, Music and Dance, with the Cuban contemporary dance company, Acosta Danza, led by Carlos Actos, presenting “Tocororo”, a show with autobiographical overtones that marked the beginning of the most universal Cuban dancer’s career as a choreographer. Carlos Acosta has updated the ballet that premiered with enormous success in 2003 at the Gran Teatro de la Habana Alicia Alonso and shortly afterwards broke all box office records at the Saldler’s Wells Theatre in London.

Tocororo, named after Cuba’s national bird, which does not survive in captivity, is also the name of the ballet’s young protagonist, a humble young man who arrives in the city in search of new horizons and faces many and varied obstacles. Carlos Acosta based his work on his experience as a black boy from a poor neighbourhood in Havana, who at the age of 18 became the first dancer of the English National Ballet and who, among other achievements, was the first black Romeo in the ballet “Romeo and Juliet”.

Carlos Acosta was inspired by characters and customs of Cuban social culture for his first choreography in which he combines classical dance, contemporary dance and the richness of Cuban dances and rhythms, with original music by Miguel Núñez. Tocororo is nicknamed “A Cuban Fable”, and expresses the victory over difficulties thanks to personal effort that some have seen as a symbol for the country.

Carlos Acosta loves his country to which he returned when he left classical dance to create in 2016 the contemporary dance company Danza Acosta, with which he helps to find an outlet for the excellence of new and young Cuban dancers. Since 2020, he has combined his work at the head of his own company with directing the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Carlos Acosta did not want to be a dancer when he was a child, but his natural abilities and his father’s determination led him to win the gold medal at the Lausanne Grand Prix at the age of 16, opening up a new future for the humble black boy who ended up dancing in major theatres and companies all over the world.

Date: Friday 5 August
Time: 22:30h.
Tickets: 20 and 25€.
Venue: Auditorio Parque, Almansa, San Javier