Mediterráneo en Danza Returns to Alicante
The Mediterráneo Foundation launches another season of its dance cycle, this edition placing a special focus on the great dancers from Alicante. Performances will take place at the Alicante Classroom of the Mediterráneo Foundation (Avda. Doctor Gadea, 1). Tickets can be purchased at the box office or through the foundation’s website at fundacionmediterraneo.es.
The foundation will present this dance festival in Alicante and Murcia, an ambitious project to promote dance as an artistic and cultural expression. The program features a series of performances and master classes designed to attract a diverse audience and enrich the cultural offerings of the province. This year, the cycle will welcome artists of international renown including Joaquín de Luz, Andrea Tortosa, Eduardo Zúñiga, Inmaculada Salomón, Isaac Montllor, Ana Agraz, and Ilidia Solbes, among others.
Luis Boyer, president of the Mediterráneo Foundation, underscored that the Mediterráneo en Danza cycle holds great significance for society. He emphasized that institutions should provide a space for the development of this beautiful, complex, and complete art form that is dance.
Andrea Tortosa
The program will begin on Sunday, March 3, at 7:00 PM with a dance gala featuring the Alicante-born Andrea Tortosa. A dancer based in Basel, Switzerland, she will present both her own works and works by other international choreographers. She will be accompanied by Pedro Borges on piano.
Andrea Tortosa was born in Alicante in 1986 and trained in dance at the María de Ávila School in Zaragoza. She has earned recognition in numerous national competitions and received a scholarship at Nederlands Dans Theater 2. Her professional career began in Switzerland with Ballet Basel, where she collaborated with renowned choreographers such as Jiri Kylian. In 2008 she joined the Aterballetto company in Italy, where she also began choreographing. After returning to Ballett Basel, she has taken on principal roles in several works and was named Swiss Dancer of the Year. She continues as a soloist with Ballett Theater Basel, collaborates with prestigious choreographers, creates choreographies, teaches dance, and leads artistic and educational projects in Switzerland.
A Tribute to Alicantine Dancers
The program continues on Saturday, March 9, at 8:00 PM with a tribute by the Mediterráneo Foundation to all Alicante dancers who have been part of the cast of the National Dance Company or the Spanish National Ballet since their beginnings to the present day. The show aims to recognize and thank those who have represented the province on two prestigious companies now directed by Joaquín de Luz and Rubén Olmo. Participants include Ana Agraz, Néstor de Lara, Juan Manuel Lillo, Andrea Méndez, Isaac Montllor, Milos Patiño, Ilidia Solbes, Agustín Torres, and Juan Francisco Trigueros.
Joaquín de Luz
The director of the National Dance Company will lead two modern ballet master classes for students in the Alicante region on Sunday, March 10. The first session starts at 10:00 AM for intermediate-level students, followed by a 12:00 PM session for advanced students. Participation is open to active students and listeners alike.
Joaquín de Luz is one of Spain’s most internationally esteemed dancers. He currently directs the National Dance Company, still choreographs, and performs both with the company and as a guest in international galas.
Larreal
On March 22 at 8:30 PM, the Mediterráneo Foundation brings to Alicante the Larreal company, comprised of the final-year students from the professional degree program. The repertoire spans contemporary, classical ballet, flamenco, and traditional folk forms. This project gathers Madrid’s Mariemma Dance Conservatory’s best students and offers audiences a high-quality, varied performance created in collaboration with recognized national and international choreographers. It is a pedagogical project aimed at providing a real stage experience for these talented young dancers.
Eduardo Zúñiga Workshop
From March 25 to 27, a contemporary ballet workshop led by Eduardo Zúñiga, director of Woka Danza, will be held at the Alicante Classroom. The workshop seeks a dialogue between specific physical movement and personal interpretation.
The class is organized in two parts: a warm-up through improvisation, followed by practical work such as mini-choreographies that deepen technicians and physical aspects of the dancers, with a strong focus on musicality to carry each movement to its peak.
Miradas
The Alicante Concert Society joins Mediterráneo en Danza with Miradas, a performance at the Alicante Classroom on Saturday, April 6, at 8:00 PM. It features a guitar and percussion concert with dance, performed by Inmaculada Salomón, principal dancer of the Spanish National Ballet, a company she has been part of since 2006.
The guitarist Alejandro Hurtado and the Barcelona-based percussionist David Domínguez will accompany Salomón. Hurtado, born in San Vicente del Raspeig, has received a comprehensive musical education in classical and flamenco guitar, earning the Extraordinary Prize from the Córdoba Higher Conservatory. He has won the Bordón del Festival del Cante de las Minas and has appeared at major guitar festivals and international stages, collaborating with figures such as Mayte Martín and Miguel Poveda, and performing the Concierto de Aranjuez as a soloist. His extensive discography showcases his versatility and artistry.
La Terreta Balla
The Mediterráneo cycle will conclude in Alicante on Thursday, April 25, at 8:00 PM with La Terreta balla, a collaboration between the Mediterráneo Foundation and Abril en Danza. This show highlights seasoned performers and emerging talent working both inside and outside the Alicante province. Led by Asun Noales and Abril en Danza, it offers a singular opportunity to witness top dancers and companies from the Terreta region in a contemporary and compelling program.
Tickets for Mediterráneo en Danza 2024 are available at the box office and on the Foundation’s website, giving the public a chance to be part of a cultural gathering that entertains while also educating and fostering a deeper appreciation for dance and music.