{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='The American Ballet Theater returns to Cuba for the first time in 50 years' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bfc4d8eafeecae145a26' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bfc4d8eafeecae145a26' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nThe American Ballet Theater returns to Cuba for the first time in 50 years\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eHavana, Cuba, November 3, 20101. Various shots of American Ballet Theatre (ABT) dancing \"Theme and Variations\"2. Medium shot audience clappingHavana City, November 2, 20103. Wide shot ABT members at conference table4. SOUNDBITE (English)...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eHavana, Cuba, November 3, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e1. Various shots of American Ballet Theatre (ABT) dancing \"Theme and Variations\"\u003cbr/\u003e2. Medium shot audience clapping\u003cbr/\u003eHavana City, November 2, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e3. Wide shot ABT members at conference table\u003cbr/\u003e4. SOUNDBITE (English) Kevin Mc Kenzie, Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre (followed by translator) \u003cbr/\u003e\"It's very difficult to say what political impact our presence could have. Because we are not politicians. We come equipped with a cultural depth to reach across all differences\"\u003cbr/\u003e5. Medium shot ABT members at conference table\u003cbr/\u003e6. SOUNDBITE (English) Julie Kent, Principal Ballerina of American Ballet Theatre:\u003cbr/\u003e\"She (Alicia Alonso) set such a standard at American Ballet Theatre that it is one of the reasons why it is a great company is because of her\"\u003cbr/\u003eAP TELEVISION File\u003cbr/\u003e7. Alicia Alonso dancing \"Giselle\"\u003cbr/\u003eHavana City, October 31, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e8. Tilt up Alicia Alonso next to Vasili Vas�liev, male Russian ballet dancer \u003cbr/\u003e9. Close up paint of Alicia Alonso\u003cbr/\u003e10. SOUNDBITE (English) Alicia Alonso, Prima Ballerina Asoluta of Cuba\u003cbr/\u003e\"Through art you speak the most beautiful language - the language of humanity and future of life. And how does it feel to have these two company with us? It feels like we are speaking our art and speaking of beginning of my art, my career and I feel very thrilled, very happy and very emotional. Thank you\"\u003cbr/\u003eHavana City, November 2, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e11. Various shots ABT in rehearsal\u003cbr/\u003eHavana City, November 3, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e12. Medium shot Xiomara Reyes, ABT's Cuban-American Ballerina dancing\u003cbr/\u003e13. Zoom in Xiomara Reyes next to her first ballet teacher, Laura Alonso (Alicia's daughter) to picture of Reyes dancing in Cuba\u003cbr/\u003eHavana City, November 2, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e14. SOUNDBITE (English) Xiomara Reyes, Principal Ballerina of American Ballet Theatre:\u003cbr/\u003e\"This is a very emotional roller coaster for me. I feel completely overwhelmed by feelings, I've seen so many people that I have known that I have seen in my beginnings you know of my career in here. So much love. So much love\"\u003cbr/\u003e15. Wide shot exterior Karl Marx Theatre\u003cbr/\u003e16. Close up Havana's Ballet Festival Sign\u003cbr/\u003e17. Medium shot people entering theatre\u003cbr/\u003e18. Tilt up man reading programme of ABT's performance\u003cbr/\u003eHavana City, November 3, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e19. Two shots Jose Manuel Carrenho, ABT's Cuban male dance dancing \"Fancy Free\"\u003cbr/\u003e20. Pan left audience clapping\u003cbr/\u003e21. Medium shot Alicia Alonso with flowers on stage, next to Carrenho and Mc Kenzie and greeting audience at the end of performance\u003cbr/\u003eThe American Ballet Theatre has returned to Cuba for the first time in fifty years.\u003cbr/\u003eThey were in Havana to pay tribute to Cuba's most famous ballerina, 89-year-old Alicia Alonso, who danced with the American Ballet Theatre in the 1940s and 50s before returning to her homeland.\u003cbr/\u003eBallet dancers glide across the stage to the applause of the audience.\u003cbr/\u003eBut this is no ordinary performance, the dancers are members of the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and the stage is Havana's Karl Marx Theatre. \u003cbr/\u003eThe ABT is one of a host of renowned ballet troupes from around the world who have travelled to Cuba for the 22nd International Ballet Festival of Havana. \u003cbr/\u003eThe trip is part of  a series of cultural and artistic exchanges that have taken place since President Barack Obama took office in 2008. \u003cbr/\u003eKevin McKenzie, artistic director of the U.S. ballet company, says the dancers are artists, not politicians _ but he hopes such cultural exchanges could help improve understanding across the Straits of Florida.\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is very difficult to say what political impact our presence here will have, because we are not politicians,\" he said at a press conference kicking off the trip on Tuesday. \"It is not our purpose here to do anything but speak of our cultural sameness. I think it is that dialogue that will expand to brighter and more positive horizons in the future.\" he says. \u003cbr/\u003eThis year's guest of honour is the prima ballerina Alicia Alonso who celebrates her 90th birthday on Dec. 21. \u003cbr/\u003eJulie Kent the current principal Ballerina of American Ballet Theatre, pays tribute to the Cuban prima ballerina. \u003cbr/\u003e\"She (Alicia Alonso) set such a standard at American Ballet Theatre that it is one of the reasons why it is a great company is because of her\"\u003cbr/\u003eDancers from the New York City Ballet London Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, the Scala de Milan and the Ballet del Teatro Col�n (Argentina) are also taking part in the 22nd International Ballet Festival of Havana which will end on November 7th.\u003cbr/\u003eAlonso, who has been nearly blind for decades, continued to dance into her 70s and remains one of the most recognised prima ballerinas in the world.\u003cbr/\u003eAlonso says she is delighted that the two American ballet companies are visiting her homeland. \u003cbr/\u003e\"Through art you speak the most beautiful language - the language of humanity and future of life. And how does it feel to have these two company with us? It feels like we are speaking our art and speaking of beginning of my art, my career and I feel very thrilled, very happy and very emotional. Thank you\"\u003cbr/\u003eThousands of people congregated at Cuba's largest indoor venue with seating for 5000, on Wednesday night for the first of two performances by the ABT. \u003cbr/\u003eThe U.S. dancers performed scenes from \"Siete Sonatas,\" \"Fancy Free\" and \"Theme and Variations\" _ a ballet written by George Balanchine in 1947 specifically with Alonso in mind. \u003cbr/\u003eThe American Ballet Theatre troupe includes two Cuban-American dancers, Jose Manuel Carreno and Xiomara Reyes. \u003cbr/\u003eReyes, a prima ballerina, is making her first visit to Cuba since leaving the island as an 18 year old in 1992.\u003cbr/\u003eShe says that she was full of emotion in anticipation of her return to Cuba. \u003cbr/\u003e\"This is a very emotional roller coaster for me. I feel completely overwhelmed by feelings, I've seen so many people that I have known that I have seen in my beginnings you know of my career in here. So much love. So much love\"\u003cbr/\u003eThe last time the American Ballet Theatre was in Cuba was in April 1960, for the first Havana festival.\u003cbr/\u003eCultural exchanges have been few and far between in recent years, particularly during the administration of President George W. Bush, who cut the number of visas given to Cuban artists and toughened travel restrictions for Americans hoping to visit the island.\u003cbr/\u003eThat has changed under the Obama administration. \u003cbr/\u003eHowever recent cultural exchanges have so far not been accompanied by any meaningful thaw in relations. \u003cbr/\u003eThe U.S. has maintained a 48-year trade embargo on Cuba, and has demanded political and economic openings before it lifts the sanctions.\u003cbr/\u003eCuban leaders say the embargo is cruel, and that America has no business telling them what kind of government they should have.\u003cbr/\u003ePresident Raul Castro has in recent months instituted sweeping economic changes designed to inject a measure of capitalism into Cuba's socialist economy.\u003cbr/\u003eHis government has also released most of the 52 prisoners of conscience it still held in jail from a 2003 sweep.\u003cbr/\u003eThe changes have been met with lukewarm approval in Washington, where officials have said they would like to see evidence of more concrete action.\u003cbr/\u003eCuba continues to hold an American subcontractor, Alan Gross, on suspicion of spying. \u003cbr/\u003eU.S. officials have said his release is crucial before any significant political progress can be made.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv 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