Choreographers Festival begins Thursday at San José’s National Theater

Ready for a weekend of marveling at Costa Rica’s best dance compositions? The 32nd edition of the Choreographers Festival will take over the National Theater in downtown San José for four nights starting Thursday. The festival will feature 50 dancers performing 16 pre-selected choreographies.

Awards will be given in five categories: First-time Participation, Beginners, Experts, Best Female Performance and Best Male Performance. The winners will be chosen by an international jury made up of Marcela Sánchez Mota, Octavio Zeivy, and Ana Baer.

This year’s festival will honor renowned dancer Elena Gutiérrez, founding director of the National Dance Company and first director of the National University’s dance department.

The festival will also pay tribute to Julián Calderón, one of the most internationally renowned Costa Rican ballet dancers of the 2oth century, and Ofir León, founder of the cultural association Signos Teatro Danza. The festival will also recognize the victims of a tragic car accident that took place 50 years ago in Choluteca, Honduras, in which 31 people died, mostly Costa Rican girl ballet dancers on their way to a performance in the Honduran capital.

Choreographers Festival program

Thursday, November 19

Inauguration Ceremony and tribute to Julián Calderón, Ofir León, and Choluteca victims

Choreography “Simbiontes” by Mario Vircha

Choreography “Háblame como la lluvia…o como te dé la gana” by Metzi Hovenga

Choreography “22” by Laura González

Choreography “Tlalli” by Laura María Murillo Soto and Melissa Rivera

(Courtesy of Choreographers Festival)

Friday, November 20

Choreography “Agua Ausente” by Isaac Alemán

Choreography “Pleamar” by Laura Jiménez

Choreography “Partes Iguales” by Javier Jiménez

Choreography “Borderline” by Fabio Pérez and Andy Gamboa

Choreography “Ciego Adiós” by Pablo Caravaca

Saturday, November 21

Choreography “En cápsulas” by Raquel Muñoz

Choreography “Prosopos” by Adrián Flores and Gabriela Alfaro

Choreography “Pesadilla, by Milagro Acuña

Choreography “Sinestesia” by Mariana Lizano

Choreography “Recuerdos encriptados” by Sol Carballo

(Courtesy of Choreographers Festival)

Sunday, November 22

Choreography “¿WA APIN?” by Karlton Lacey

Choreography “Invisible” by Henriette Borbón

Tribute to Elena Gutiérrez

Projection of performances of choreographies “Bienaventurados” (1978) and “Gloria y alma” (1997)

Closing ceremony, and presentation of awards

The 2015 Choreographers Festival will take place November 19 – 22 at the National Theater, downtown San José. Tickets: ₡5,000 ($9.40) general public, ₡4,000 ($7.50) students, ₡3,500 ($6.60) elderly. Performances start at 8 p.m. For more information, visit the National Theater website or call 2010-1111