Latin Ballet of Virginia’s Artistic Director, Ana Ines King of Colombia in collaboration with international artists and choreographers, Antonio Hidalgo Paz and Domingo Ortega of Spain, produced the works and interpretations seen in POEMAS.
POEMAS is choreographed in dance theatre, contemporary dance, contemporary and traditional Flamenco, Latino American dance and Spanish classical dance forms to give each poet an accurate character illustration in the most traditional and cultural interpretation
POEMAS supports Latin Ballet of Virginia’s scholastic initiatives Everybody READS!, an educational component of the Be Proud of Yourself program, which promotes a love of reading, writing and literature through performances, lectures and workshops.
Edgar Allan Poe work had a profound impact on American and international literature. His stories mark him as one of the originators of both horror and detective fiction. Today, Poe is remembered as one of the first American writers to become a major figure in world literature.
Federico García Lorca is one of the most prominent Spanish cultural figures of the twentieth century. His lyrical work incorporates elements of Spanish folklore, Andalusian flamenco and gypsy culture while exploring themes of romantic love and tragedy
Alfonsina Storni is considered one of the most prominent Latino American women poets of the twentieth century. Inspired by her own personal experiences, Storni courageously wrote about the struggles of women in modern urban society, advocating equality for women and bemoaning the inadequacies of romantic relationships in a male-dominated culture.
Pablo Neruda led a life charged with poetic and political activity, whose most notable collection of poetry was written at the young age of 19. The book, Veinte Poemas de Amor y una Canción Desesperada (“Twenty Poems of Love and a Song Despair”) made a celebrity of Neruda, who gave up his studies to devote himself to his craft.