Saturday evening, eight o’clock, I saw the second choreography of Henriette Borbón! As in her last modern dance, from the lighting, the music and the truly original interpretation of “Krisis”, the work of Borbón will and perhaps already has out grown this country.
To expect something like the “Nut Cracker Suite”, stay home. To see and more important feel messages of life, look for a Borbón production.
Those attending were 99% nationals and they each seem to have had a flare for the major league arts. This was or is a Costa Rica that I have forgotten among Hummer cars and tacky jive pick-up joints, not to mention vacant, and over priced condos.
While such a contrast to the La Trocha scandal, the work of modern dance and in particular Borbón demands each audience member to soul search for meaning, a meaning and message as abstract as any painter, living or dead.
We live her pain, her frustrations her social issues all within one hour and fifteen minutes for a minimal price of admission. (Less than a medium pizza)
The dancers, ballerinas carry messages with the grace of any developed country, with the grace and imagination of New York or Los Angeles.
Truly, a side of Costa Rica that expats too often miss in favor of beaches, sloths and beer.
The audience was young, between 20 and perhaps a max of 40 years old, except for my wife and me. But both times it was an audience of young people who find their future in the arts. A traditional Costa Rica journey going way back: way, way back before corruption, conflict and trying desperately to become a “developed” country that carried the news headlines.
When I worked Central America, one thing I will always remember are the words of a client in Panama, “Costa Rica has culture we have very, very little so we import it.”
The production is made up of a superb team of talent: Costa Rica’s own national lead by diva of dance, Natlia Herra and the choreographer, Henriette Borbón. They make a unique combination that any dance group, local or international would love to host.
Whatever Henriette Borbón and her dance troop offer to the public, go see it and if you do not like it, email me and I will refund your ticket price.
